Graham Glasgow was happy to come back to the Detroit Lions in March, and his versatility was sure to become valuable at some point. He stepped in at right guard when Halapoulivaati Vaitai was sidelined by a knee injury, and since then he has also started a game at left guard (Week 7) and center (Week 8) with Jonah Jackson and Frank Ragnow respectively sidelined.
Glasgow started the three games going into the Lions' Week 9 bye at three different positions, and he played all three at a high level.
Ragnow and Jackson seem to be healthy and ready to go coming out of the bye week, after missing one and three games respectively. So what about Glasgow? The starting job at right guard should be his again, automatically, right?
On Wednesday, head coach Dan Campbell was asked if Glasgow has earned the starting job at right guard for the rest of the season. The answer was the expected one.
Graham Glasgow has officially taken the starting job at right guard for the Lions
Here's what Campbell said about Glasgow's status as the starter at right guard.
"Yeah, I think so. I think that’s fair,” Campbell said. “We’re always assessing Big V (Vaitai) , and V is still working at it. But Graham has been productive for us, and he has—he’s been productive at three different spot: left guard, center and certainly right guard before that. So he’s been a big asset for us. that was a good signing for us to get, and fortunate to have him. He’s a steady, reliable piece for us.”
Glasgow is Pro Football Focus' fifth-highest graded guard this season (77.1 overall grade). Vaitai has not been bad when he has played, though at one point Campbell said his knee wasn't quite 100 percent. It's just that Glasgow has been better, and impossible to supplant if he didn't have to move to a different position the last couple games.
Glasgow has been everything the Lions could have expected (and more?) this season, covering for injuries and playing at a very high level. Now, as long as injuries don't force him to move again, he can get comfortable at right guard from here on out.