The Detroit Lions have made their first big move of the 2026 offseason, trading running back David Montgomery to Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks. What else is to come is a mystery, with all the possibilities March and the start of the league year comes with.
Scruggs has experience at all three interior line spots from his time with the Texans. Depending on further moves made in free agency or the draft, he could compete for (or even win) a starting job. Worst case, he's a versatile backup would be an upgrade over who the Lions have had to turn two when injuries have hit
Coming out of the week in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press passed along indications of how the Lions will approach free agency.
"Multiple agents who met with the Lions at the NFL combine do not expect the team to be major players in free agency."
No one is surprised by the idea the Lions are not expected to be major players in free agency. For better or worse they will prioritize re-signing players they feel are part of the core as part of a draft-and-develop strategy, which leaves couch-cushion change (relatively speaking) to spend on outside free agents. In hindsight, Brad Holmes would probably just complain about the cost to fill a roster void in a big way.
Lions' reporter invites a move that is not necessary at all
After that note about the Lions likely not being significant players in free agency, Birkett added a related tentacle.
"One (agent) who spoke with the team believes they will move Tate Ratledge to center and open competition at the guard spots."
The concept of having Ratledge play center is not new. He got some work there last summer after being drafted, and Holmes has continually confirmed moving him to center for next season (and beyond) is on the table.
Ratledge was a right guard by trade in college at Georgia. As a rookie he played nearly every offensive snap at that spot for the Lions, and acquitted himself nicely with a top-25 overall grade among all guards from Pro Football Focus, just two sacks allowed (one sack allowed after Week 1) and a top-10 run blocking grade at the position.
READ MORE: An obvious David Montgomery replacement may soon be available
So why would you move an effective right guard to center, a position he's only practiced at in his readily-known football life, and have "open competition" at the guard spots? It's not exactly an issue of cost in free agency, since good guards get paid just like good centers do.
That said, the top guards in this year's free agent class will probably cost more than any center this side of Tyler Linderbaum. So have an open competition at both guard spots, with a trade acquisition and a draft pick? added to the mix, and move Ratledge over to center, right?
The issue with moving Ratledge to center is not about his willingness to make the move, or his ability to make the move effectively. But unless you know you can find a right guard who is better, or projects to be better than he is or can be eventually, what's the point?
Why not just find a center, from a solid list of free agent options, sign or draft someone who can play left guard (if Scruggs is not enough competition) and leave Ratledge alone? The Lions aren't one to overthink these kind of things, but they seem to be doing so in an effort to reconstruct the interior offensive line.