The Detroit Lions have made aggressive moves to remake the offensive line after a disastrous 2025, leaving fans excited to see just how much better the already high-scoring offense will look in 2026.
Few are better to preview the new-look OL than two local legends. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press chatted with Lions' legend Lomas Brown at the Walnut Creek Country Club, where he was being honored with the "NFL Alumni Detroit Chapter Alum of the Year" award.
During the conversation, the potential future Hall of Famer was later joined by former University of Michigan All-American Jon Jansen, who spent nearly his entire career in Washington before joining the Lions in his final season in 2009. Birkett asked Brown and Jansen their honest thoughts on the moves the Lions made to address the OL.
"I'm nervous, I'm not gonna lie," Brown said. "I just don't know with the guys that we lost, if we filled them with the necessary guys we need to take us to that next level, or even maintain it."
Brown brought up rookie offensive tackle Blake Miller, who will "have a learning curve" as he enters the NFL. Jansen then brings up second-year guard Tate Ratledge, who Miller will be lined up next to, who he says is "going to have to have a good year," adding that he wants "to see some growth from him."
Jansen then brings up OT Penei Sewell's move from right tackle to left tackle, saying that Sewell "can make that switch." However, Jansen recognizes how different making that switch is after years of playing on one side of the ball.
"(Sewell's) been at right tackle five or six years now, and everything is programmed now, right-handed stance. Even when you hear the plays in the huddle, you're processing them as that position. He's gonna have to make all of those switches. I like what I'm hearing from him, the awareness of the challenges of moving over, he's certainly the athlete, he's the best tackle in the league."
Sewell has no shortage of experience at LT between college and his early NFL career, but that was before spending years as an All-Pro RT. Currently, only one OT in NFL history has ever received First-Team All-Pro honors both at RT and LT -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs, who Sewell will not be competing with at LT for the honor.
It's not going to be easy for both Sewell and Miller, especially if either lines up against someone like Los Angeles Rams' Myles Garrett in the playoffs. Jansen says offensive line coach Hank Fraley needs "to put it all together." Jansen then jokingly declares that all the pressure will be on offensive line coach Hank Fraley, saying, "If this line sucks, Hank, it's all on you."
Amid the laughter, Brown and Jansen both agreed with Birkett's opinion that Fraley was one of the best OL coaches in the league.
Plenty of curiosity with the interior OL
Lining up next to Sewell over on the left side is expected to be G Christian Mahogany, whom Brown will be watching to see if he makes that next leap, saying, "I need to see that next jump from him, that consistency." Jansen agreed, while mentioning the Lions' other G signings, saying, "That competition...he's either going to crumble, or he's gonna take it to the next level."
Jansen is especially interested in seeing how the interior OL will look, and how they work with new center Cade Mays, saying, "Is Cade gonna be that guy that Frank (Ragnow) was? Not as a player, but as a leader on the field," directing players, particularly those young ones to his left and right.
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Both Brown and Jansen recognize that this new OL will face early challenges, given the new players and Sewell's new position. Jansen is curious to see how Fraley and head coach Dan Campbell manage this, and how much time they might devote in preseason to building up that chemistry.
Jansen emphasized that Sewell needs to hit the ground running at LT for the sake of the two young and developing guards, but doesn't expect any issues "by week six or seven."
It's an altogether grounded and realistic assessment of the OL heading into 2026. There are just too many unknowns surrounding the unit as it stands now, but Lions fans and legends will start to get plenty of clarity on this once the preseason opens up on August 13 in Cincinnati.
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