The early returns on the Detroit Lions’ new-look offensive line are encouraging.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said he likes what he has seen so far from a line that underwent a significant overhaul this offseason.
The Lions cut ties with veteran linemen Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow this spring, moved All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to the left side, drafted Blake Miller in the first round and added four veterans to starting or key backup roles via free agency and trade, including new center Cade Mays.
“I like those guys,” Campbell said Friday, May 29, before the Lions’ third OTA practice of spring this week. “And there again, it’s early, but Cade, man, he’s a good-looking dude, man. He’s a big man, he’s built right, moves pretty good. And now it’s just getting up to speed with our terminology, the mike points, all that.”
Mays took first-team reps during the Lions’ pre-practice installation period Friday on a line that included Sewell at left tackle, returning starters Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge at left and right guard, respectively, and free agent addition Larry Borom at right tackle.
Miller worked with the second team at right tackle, but split time with Borom on the top field during the Lions’ 11-on-11 jog-through.
New additions Juice Scruggs (left guard) and Seth McLaughlin (center) also worked with the second team in the pre-practice period, with Devin Cochran at left tackle and Mason Miller at right guard.
Ben Bortch, who’s expected to compete for the left guard job with Mahogany and Scruggs, was a non-participant in practice.
“For what you want from a young guy, talking about with where we are going in Week 6 of offseason or whatever, I like where Ratledge is going,” Campbell said. “So, I feel a guy that has learned a lot and has grown, has taken some of those things, so that’s good. But yeah, we got a lot of competition in there.”
The Lions missed the playoffs last season at 9-8 and finished in last place in the NFC North while navigating inconsistent play from an offensive line that started nine different combinations up front.
Jared Goff took a career-high 38 sacks in 2025. Decker and Glasgow missed games and practice time with nagging injuries. And the Lions struggled to fill their void at center after Frank Ragnow retired.
They made a point this spring to get younger and deeper up front, and believe the unit could be even better with Sewell anchored at his new position as Goff’s blindside protector.
“He’s been working it even being back home before we started offseason, once I gave him the word,” Campbell said. “So, it’ll be like riding a bike for him. Will it be things he’ll have to learn? Yeah, of course there will be. But I mean he has played left. That’s muscle memory. He played a lot of left in college and for us in [20]21, those first few games. And he still took reps at left even over the last five years, so that’ll be seamless. Sewell can do it all.”
Sewell has not played left tackle full-time since his final college season at Oregon in 2019.
He sat out the 2020 COVID-19 year, and made the first eight starts of his NFL career at left tackle in 2021 when Decker was out with a finger injury. Sewell has played almost exclusively right tackle since.
Sewell declined an interview request after practice Friday, but Campbell and others said they don’t expect any drop off from the three-time first-team All-Pro at his new position in 2026.
“I think this guy’s extremely talented,” Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew said. “I don’t know if he’s got anything to prove [switching positions]. I think he’ll be fine at left tackle so I’m not worried about that.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dan Campbell pleased with Lions’ new-look OL so far: ‘I like those guys’
Reporting by Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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