Lions take rookie OG Christian Mahogany off NFI list, add him to 53-man roster

On Tuesday afternoon, the Detroit Lions announced a transaction.

They have added rookie guard Christian Mahogany to their 53-man roster.

Mahogany, a three-year starter at Boston College the Lions' sixth-round pick in April's draft (No. 210 overall). He fell further than projected based on concerns about scheme fit and some rumored medical concerns, but the Lions weren't going to count on him to start this year anyway.

Mahogany took part in rookie minicamp and OTAs. Then he was sidelined for training camp due to an illness later revealed to be mononucleosis, and he remained on the NFI (non-football injury) list into the regular season.

Last week, head coach Dan Campbell suggested Mahogany would be put on the 53-man roster.

"I will tell you this, he’s gotten better every week,” Campbell said, via Pride of Detroit. “He’s made strides every week and that has been very noticeable. So, I’m just standing up here in front of you, I think it would be hard to say that you don’t want to continue this progress."

The Lions opened Mahogany's 21-day practice window three weeks ago, and Tuesday was the last day they could put him on the 53-man roster. If they hadn't done so, he'd have been shut down for the season.

Detroit Lions roster: Will Christian Mahogany suit up this season?

As it was with Hendon Hooker late last season, the decision to add Mahogany to the 53-man roster is rooted in having him able to practice and continue to develop over the rest of his rookie season.

The Lions now have 11 offensive lineman on their active roster. They have have made Mahogany's fellow rookie offensive lineman Giovanni Manu (as expected) a healthy scratch for every game so far this season, and second-year man Colby Sorsdal has played in one game. Mahogany would be in that boat as a weekly healthy scratch, barring an injury that would alter the depth chart in a given week.

The Lions had two open spots on their 53-man roster, so there's no corresponding move necessary to add Mahogany.