Detroit Lions: What happens at right guard in 2019?
What’s happened since?
In Week Ten, left tackle Taylor Decker returned from a right shoulder injury. Graham Glasgow supplanted the consistently overmatched Travis Swanson at his natural center position after 2017.
Frank Ragnow was drafted by the Lions in the first round of the 2018 draft and was a day one starter at right guard. 2018 was definitely a step in the right direction for the offensive front.
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The biggest concern is at left guard, where incumbent starter T.J. Lang‘s lengthy and troubling injury history could force the Lions to release him, ask him to take a significant pay cut from his scheduled $11.5 million salary in 2019, or prompt him to call it a career.
When Lang was in there, he was arguably the Lions’ best offensive lineman. Watching him struggle off the field after suffering his fifth documented career concussion during a week four loss in Dallas would’ve difficult for anybody, let alone Lions fans. Coupled with a season ending neck injury suffered against the Minnesota Vikings in week eight, it’s certainly possible that he has played his last snap in Detroit, and maybe in the NFL.
Should Lang decide call it a day, or should the Lions elect to move on, there will be a large hole once again on the offensive front. Who will fill it? Someone currently on the roster? A free agent? Will they spend another high draft pick on an offensive lineman?
Assuming Lang doesn’t return, let’s take a look at five players that the Lions could consider this offseason, including two in-house options …