Lions training camp preview: 7 starting battles to watch
full article at link. commentary of each position battle not below is at the link
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Right tackle
Projected competition winner: Blake Miller
Left guard
Left guard was a major problem for the Lions last year. After a dazzling two-start rookie season, second-year lineman Christian Mahogany was handed the reins. The problem was, he was stuck between Decker, who rarely practiced, and Graham Glasgow, whose play was a significant drop-off from that of recently retired center Frank Ragnow. Those might not be the sole reasons for Mahogany’s struggles, but they certainly didn’t help. He was as inconsistent as they come through the first half of the season before breaking a bone in his leg in Week 9, which sent his remaining appearances into a spiral.
Mahogany is still the front-runner to win the starting job in 2026 — playing between Sewell and Cade Mays should be a massive boost to whoever is playing left guard — but the Lions weren’t shy about adding competition for the gig.
As it stands, offseason additions Ben Bartch, a free-agent signing, and Juice Scruggs, part of the return in the David Montgomery trade, are expected to be the fiercest competitors for the job. Also keep an eye on Miles Frazier, a fifth-round pick in 2025 who got his feet wet during Mahogany’s absence, and Giovanni Manu, who could transition to guard following the drafting of Miller.
Projected competition winner: Christian Mahogany
Edge
Is this the year the Lions finally have an edge partner for Aidan Hutchinson that satisfies the fanbase?
…Ultimately, we’d expect these two to split the pie at ED2, with Wonnum getting the majority of early-down snaps against the run and Moore picking up the slack in obvious passing situations, provided he shows some promise in that area
Projected competition winner: DJ Wonnum
Linebacker
…….. Fourth-round rookie Jimmy Rolder comes to the Lions with little playing time at the college level, which means it could take a little while for his game to round into form. In the meantime, Detroit should be able to rely on Malcolm Rodriguez, who signed a one-year deal to return to the Lions in free agency, to bridge the gap.
Projected competition winner: Malcolm Rodriguez
Nickel cornerback
Projected competition winner: Roger McCreary
Outside cornerback
Projected competition winner: Rock Ya-Sin
Safety
Projected competition winner: Thomas Harper
