Don’t forget the not-so-quiet guy on the Detroit Lions offensive line

There are pieces to work with

There are a few noteworthy additions to the offensive line for the 2020 season. One of them is new right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai. The former Philadelphia Eagle has a history of doing well in the run game. His pass-protection, however, still needs improvement. But he has very good size and is a good athlete. The one thing he has lacked has been consistent playing time.

That will change this year. With the contract that Bob Quinn signed him to, he will be in the lineup no matter what. He should be a positive addition to Matt Patricia’s desire to run the ball. Hopefully, with more consistent playing time, his pass-protection will improve as well.

The other name that has already garnered expectations in third-round draft pick Jonah Jackson from Ohio State. He is the one everyone from Bob Quinn to Matt Patricia to Lions fans everywhere, wants to see at the right guard position.

Jackson has the ability to not only help make the right side of the line a strength to run behind, but he also has the size and ability to help anchor a clean pocket for Matthew Stafford.

The Lions best lineman is center Frank Ragnow who is dangerously close to getting league-wide recognition for his tremendous blue-collar work. He and Jackson have the makings of creating interior line strength for Detroit. The kind of strength that can allow these Motor City cats to run right at a defense and wear them down.

Will it work out like that? Only time will tell, but on paper Ragnow, Jackson and Vaitai make the middle and right side of the line a strength for running the ball. Now all that’s left is for it to translate to the playing field.

But cohesiveness doesn’t happen in a day or a week. It will take time and that will drag into the season. The plus side is that there should be improvements along the way and by the time the playoffs roll around they could be interesting to watch.

That is if the Lions are still playing.

Left tackle will continue to be manned by Taylor Decker who still hasn’t lived up to his outstanding rookie campaign. Ever since the shoulder injury he incurred before the start of his second season he has not been the same. He isn’t necessarily a weakness, but ideally, any team wants their left tackle position to be more consistent that Decker has been.

All of this leads us to the left guard position which supplies the biggest question mark on the offensive line.