Miles Frazier needs as many reps as possible on the Detroit Lions' offensive line to carve out a role long-term. The guard is being tried there, and at tackle, with Frazier taking snaps with the second-team offense at both positions throughout the teams' first preseason game.
The results? Not great. The second year lineman had three penalties, with two holding calls coming back to back. But, it's what you expect from a player that's still developing after losing precious time as a rookie to do so.
Does that mean that the Lions should begin honing in on a specific position for Frazier to play at, though? The penalties are a concern, to be sure, but it's far too early to assume he can't clean those up. And, it'd be foolish for the Lions to not seek some additional swing tackle and swing guard help right in their own backyard. Frazier should continue to receive looks at tackle and guard through the preseason.
Frazier getting tested at guard, tackle the right move
Detroit's depth at tackle and guard this season feels a lot better than it did last year, but it's still unproven - rookie Blake Miller could be their starting right tackle Week 1, while Christian Mahogany still doesn't have a firm grasp on the starting left guard spot. Ben Bartch is an unknown, although a small sample size from his time with the San Francisco 49ers is promising.
And then you have Frazier, who could compete for the starting left guard job, or at least a backup role to Mahogany.
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A to Z Sports' Mike Payton recently wrote about Frazier's development in camp and his stinker of a preseason performance, feeling that Frazier might be firmly on the roster bubble headed into this season:
"Miles Frazier seems out of the left guard battle at this point. I think it’s safe to say he’s probably not going to be considered for this job. Detroit has utilized him more at right guard and tried him at tackle during camp, and then on Thursday night he had a rough game. Three holding calls, including one that wiped out a third-and-19 conversion by Tom Kennedy. You just can’t have it. It’s hard to see, and you definitely don’t want it."
Even if Frazier is sinking fast down the depth chart, it's still a good move for the Lions to kind of throw everything at the wall and see what sticks for him. Of course, if he continues to struggle to adjust to either or both roles, we'll likely begin to see players like Bartch and Juice Scruggs get heavier looks at left guard, with right tackle likely decided between Miller or Larry Borom.
It's a good strategy in the short term, and in the long term if he can pick things up quickly.
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