The Detroit Lions need to prepare for the possibility that Taylor Decker is going to retire this offseason. If Frank Ragnow taught the Lions anything, it's that when one of your older, oft-injured linemen starts to hint that they might be reaching the end of their rope, you listen.
And, Detroit cannot afford to make that same mistake twice.
Money remains an issue on that front for Detroit, which is why the idea of drafting someone at tackle to replace Decker makes the most sense. Luckily for the Lions, this draft class is chock full of talented linemen, and interior offensive linemen. And, PFF has Detroit spending a pretty penny - a first rounder - on one of those talented tackles: Miami's Francis Mauigoa.
Mauigoa mocked to Lions in latest PFF draft
PFF's Max Chadwick slates Mauigoa to the Lions, with two other potential targets for the team on defense, Jermod McCoy and Avieon Terrell, landing right before and after him.
"The Lions would be wise to address their offensive line this offseason, especially with longtime left tackle Taylor Decker contemplating retirement. Detroit gets a potential steal here in Mauigoa. His 86.4 PFF pass-blocking grade is sixth among all FBS tackles this year, while his 78.4 PFF run-blocking grade is 20th. Mauigoa has played right tackle his entire career, but either he or Penei Sewell is capable of switching to the left side."
As Chadwick notes, Mauigoa plays Penei Sewell's position at right tackle, but Sewell has indicated in recent months that he'd be open to flipping over to the left side of the line to do whatever it took to make it better. This could be a huge boost for Detroit's pass blocking and run blocking, especially with how explosive Jahmyr Gibbs is if he can bend the corner on his defenders.
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Detroit fans might be a bit wary of spending this pick on a tackle and not, for example, one of McCoy or Terrell. After all, we don't even know how ready Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is going to be coming into this year's training camp and preseason after yet another year lost to injury, and as the team also has to worry about how healthy Terrion Arnold can remain after he lost major time with a shoulder injury.
But, it feels beyond imperative for the Lions to invest in highly talented youth for their offensive line. We saw how badly the offense struggled against good pass rushing teams, and it doesn't feel likely that they'd survive another season like that with Jared Goff only getting older.
To maximize this roster, and the tools set to become available to their next offensive coordinator, it makes total sense for them to swing high on a tackle like Mauigoa.