The Detroit Lions are not going to stand pat with the same old roster heading into the 2026 season, as they got the offseason started off with a bang by trading standout running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two NFL Draft picks.
The Lions' desire to add by subtraction also let to their once-mighty offensive line getting hit with the proverbial pruning shears once again, as they have decided to release veteran offensive lineman Graham Glasgow. What was once a fairly robust offensive line is looking much more uneven.
The Lions seem to feel confident in their ability to replace Montgomery, and there are a wealth of options for them to consider. Replacing Glasgow, however, might be more difficult due to how it is often harder to find competent offensive linemen on the free agent market.
If the Lions don't swing for the fences in their quest to find an interior offensive lineman in the same tier as Glasgow, they could be forced to start Scruggs. Texans fans will likely be very eager to inform Lions fans of what a disaster that could be.
Lions may be forced to start Juice Scruggs after Graham Glasgow release
Scruggs was picked in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but that move was widely seen as a massive reach. Scruggs managed to prove the pre-draft doubters utterly correct, as he lost his starting job after an up-and-down 2024 season and struggled when called into action in 2025.
It seems likely that Detroit will select a developmental tackle at some point in the 2026 NFL Draft, especially after left tackle Taylor Decker was the subject of some retirement rumors. However, with how much work the defense needs, would it be wise for the Lions to invest multiple high-end picks into the line?
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In addition to that, Detroit now needs to decide if they want to spend money in free agency on a Montgomery replacement, draft someone to fill the void, or let Sioen Vaki try to step up. Talk about an uncertain future.
Scruggs can take a lot of the anxiety out of this by living up to his full potential in Detroit, but until he does that, losing Montgomery and Glasgow in the span of a few hours puts the Lions in a much less advantageous position than they were in past seasons.