Loquacious Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is on the verge of making a move so baffling that if told what the specifics of the move were without context, fans could have mistaken it for a Matt Patricia goof.
Campbell appears to be on the verge of rotating his starting left guards, as Christian Mahogany and Ben Bartch will both get a portion of reps at practice. Per Ben Raven of MLive, there's a chance both of these offensive linemen could play in Week 1 if no clear winner emerges this week.
Patricia famously tried to do this, and, like many of his brilliant ideas, it fell flat. Campbell has almost always proven himself to be above engaging in silly things like this, but his refusal to name a starter (even tentatively) has created a sore spot for a team that could really do without it.
Dan Campbell's refusal to name starting LG sounds like Matt Patricia
At this juncture, a right guard spot locked down by Tate Ratledge is the only such spot where Detroit doesn't have some sort of question on the offensive line. While he may be the best right tackle in the NFC (and possibly the NFL), Penei Sewell's move to left tackle will need to be closely examined.
Right tackle Blake Miller is an unproven rookie, center Juice Scruggs is only in a starting role because free agent signing Cade Mays suffered an injury that will cost him a good chunk of the season, and left guard is such a mess that Campbell can't even call a clear winner just a few days from the season opener.
Campbell could bring the Patricia comparison to an end by naming a presumptive starter, but until he does, the shoe fits.
Dan Campbell can't repeat a Matt Patricia mistake with the Detroit Lions
Patricia famously tried this exact same thing before he was fired in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Between rotating Graham Glasgow, Joe Dahl, and others around in 2019 and even benching Jonah Jackson for brief periods in 2020, Patricia's obsession with rotating at positions that normally don't lend themselves to rotating often ended in failure.
The Lions have the luxury, at the very least, of easing into the season against some defensive lines that are just a few ticks shy of elite. While they could give both Mahogany and Bartch moments to shine, the fact that such a situation is even still being discussed is a problem.
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While Mahogany took a step back last season in the eyes of PFF, he's shown enough pizzazz to at least warrant the benefit of the doubt. Bartch, who has started 24 games over six seasons split between the Jaguars and 49ers, seems like solid depth, but Mahogany actually carries starter potential despite the draft status he brings to the table.
Even if the leash is very short and Bartch eventually overtakes him, does it serve the offense or either guard better by trying to play both sides as ineffectively as this?
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