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PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Detroit Lions are still sorting through their options at guard, with plans to add more competition to the mix, but Lions coach Dan Campbell mentioned one interesting option Tuesday – Gio Manu.
“That would be, you're going to kind of take a leap of faith and push those reps and see if he can grow from them,” Campbell said. “Do you do that or do you keep him outside (at tackle)? Those are just some of the thoughts that I've had, we've had.”
The Lions took Manu in the fourth round of last year’s NFL draft as a developmental prospect they hoped would one day develop into a future left tackle.
More: 'No vacations:' Brad Holmes touts Detroit Lions' disciplined approach to free agency
He did not appear in a game last season, but played tackle and guard on scout team in practice.
The Lions return 4/5ths of their starting offensive line this fall, with center Frank Ragnow and tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell entrenched at their positions.
Graham Glasgow made 16 starts at left guard last season, but had a down year after moving from right guard in 2023 to accommodate Kevin Zeitler.
Zeitler signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency, and Campbell said the Lions are weighing whether to move Glasgow back to the right side this season. Christian Mahogany, a sixth-round pick last year who played well in fill-in starts at both guard spots as a rookie, also should compete for a starting job, and the Lions still could add a veteran in free agency and/or a rookie through the draft.
Mahogany started two seasons at right guard and one at left guard in college.
“That's a thought,” Campbell said of moving Glasgow back to his preferred right side. “We've talked about that, do you go back to right and is it Mahogany left? Is it somebody we drafted? You're going to do your best to let these guys compete and see where they're at. I mean, does Manu, do we try Manu at guard? That's a thought.
“So we’re going to try to let these guys compete a little bit and move them around and see what's right, see where we're at, but it's not going to be set in stone.”
Glasgow appears set to return in 2025 after the Lions considered forcing him to take a pay cut from his $5.5 million base salary. Ultimately, the team paid him a $500,000 roster bonus last month after Zeitler left in free agency, and Campbell said Tuesday that Glasgow is “somebody that we still value because he's got versatility.”
“He can also play center,” Campbell said. “I think people forget that some is, man, he can do an excellent job at center as a matter of fact. So I think there's things that he brings to us that are not always easy to find. So yeah, we have confidence in him. And there again, the fact that he can play all the positions, man, that lets you breathe easy.”
Dave Birkett is the author of the book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline." Order your copy here. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: After developmental season, Lions' Gio Manu could factor into OG mix
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“That would be, you're going to kind of take a leap of faith and push those reps and see if he can grow from them,” Campbell said. “Do you do that or do you keep him outside (at tackle)? Those are just some of the thoughts that I've had, we've had.”
The Lions took Manu in the fourth round of last year’s NFL draft as a developmental prospect they hoped would one day develop into a future left tackle.
More: 'No vacations:' Brad Holmes touts Detroit Lions' disciplined approach to free agency
He did not appear in a game last season, but played tackle and guard on scout team in practice.
The Lions return 4/5ths of their starting offensive line this fall, with center Frank Ragnow and tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell entrenched at their positions.
Graham Glasgow made 16 starts at left guard last season, but had a down year after moving from right guard in 2023 to accommodate Kevin Zeitler.
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Zeitler signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency, and Campbell said the Lions are weighing whether to move Glasgow back to the right side this season. Christian Mahogany, a sixth-round pick last year who played well in fill-in starts at both guard spots as a rookie, also should compete for a starting job, and the Lions still could add a veteran in free agency and/or a rookie through the draft.
Mahogany started two seasons at right guard and one at left guard in college.
“That's a thought,” Campbell said of moving Glasgow back to his preferred right side. “We've talked about that, do you go back to right and is it Mahogany left? Is it somebody we drafted? You're going to do your best to let these guys compete and see where they're at. I mean, does Manu, do we try Manu at guard? That's a thought.
“So we’re going to try to let these guys compete a little bit and move them around and see what's right, see where we're at, but it's not going to be set in stone.”
Glasgow appears set to return in 2025 after the Lions considered forcing him to take a pay cut from his $5.5 million base salary. Ultimately, the team paid him a $500,000 roster bonus last month after Zeitler left in free agency, and Campbell said Tuesday that Glasgow is “somebody that we still value because he's got versatility.”
“He can also play center,” Campbell said. “I think people forget that some is, man, he can do an excellent job at center as a matter of fact. So I think there's things that he brings to us that are not always easy to find. So yeah, we have confidence in him. And there again, the fact that he can play all the positions, man, that lets you breathe easy.”
Dave Birkett is the author of the book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline." Order your copy here. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: After developmental season, Lions' Gio Manu could factor into OG mix
Continue reading...
