Graham Glasgow now ready-made replacement for Detroit Lions at right guard

The Detroit Lions seem set to cut Halapoulivaati Vaitai soon, and Graham Glasgow has now landed right in their laps as an ideal replacement.

As the Detroit Lions look to create more cap space in the days leading into free agency, right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai looks like an easy cut candidate. How he’d be replaced would be the question, with Evan Brown a free agent who may be able to cash in solidly elsewhere.

As potential cap casualties surfaced around the league, guard Graham Glasgow landed as an easy one for the Denver Broncos. On Friday afternoon, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the Broncos will indeed release Glasgow.

The Broncos will clear $11 million in cap space with the move.

Glasgow spent the last three seasons with the Broncos after signing a four-year, $44 million free agent deal in 2020. He played in all 17 games last season, starting 13 of them. As versatile offensive lineman go, with the ability to play all three interior line spots, Glasgow could have a lot of suitors.

Detroit Lions rumors: Graham Glasgow could come back as the replacement for Halapoulivaati Vaitai

Glasgow was drafted by the Lions in the third round of the 2016 draft (No. 95 overall), out of Michigan. He started 27 games at left guard over his first two seasons, then all 16 games at center in 2018. Then he started 15 games at right guard in 2019, before leaving for the Broncos in free agency.

Glasgow’s injury in the middle of the 2021 season opened the door for Quinn Meinerz to take over at right guard, then Glasgow primarily filled in for an injured Lloyd Cushenberry at center for Denver last season.

It’s a matter of time before Vaitai is off the Lions’ roster, with cap implications to be determined by the designation before or after June 1 not of necessary consequence. If Brown leaves, the Lions will have a bigger need at right guard and also for general offensive line versatility. Left guard Jonah Jackson seems in line for a contract extension, but he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Replacing Vaitai won’t be all that hard, but it’s nice when it looks like it’s getting easier. Glasgow has landed right in the Lions’ laps as an ideal option, and a different regime than the one he left should make coming back an option for him as he hits the open market.