Lions' 2022 Review: Offensive Line Lives Up to Billing
Offensive line has been an area in which the Detroit Lions have invested heavily over the past several seasons.
Three of the Lions’ 2022 starters were first-round picks, with center Frank Ragnow and tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell anchoring the unit. Left guard Jonah Jackson was another draft investment, picked in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The unit lived up to its billing this past season, fueling a prominent run game and keeping quarterback Jared Goff upright during a resurgent season.
Sewell, a first-round pick in 2021, developed steadily, and was a top performer in his second season. He made many big blocks, but perhaps his best moment came when he hauled in his first career reception against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14.
“It was a great call, we trusted him,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell. “Look, we know what kind of athlete he is, he’s a phenomenal athlete. I mean, we talk about — who knows what kind of tackle he’s going to be, I think a pretty dang good one. He already is. But, he could be a Hall of Fame tight end, in my opinion, too, if he wanted to lose a little bit of weight. But, he’s got real good hands. He’s got real good feet. We felt like he was going to be wide open, which he was. And, we told him stay in bounds, and he did.”
Here is a primer for the Lions at the offensive line position heading into the offseason.
Reason for hope
Sewell emerged as one of the best tackles in all of football, with his overall Pro Football Focus grade of 80.6 ranking ninth among players at his position with enough snaps to qualify.
The Oregon product started every game at right tackle, with Decker doing the same on the opposite side of the line. Together, the duo built the foundation of Detroit’s offensive success.
Sewell showed off just how effective he can be up front at various moments throughout the season. His catch against Minnesota was a prime example, though he also delivered punishing blocks, such as his downfield pancake on Green Bay’s Darnell Savage in the regular season finale.
© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ragnow, too, was a key player up front. He missed just one game, despite dealing with a nagging foot injury that bothered him most of the season. His PFF grade of 77.9 ranked fifth among centers.
Jonah Jackson and Evan Brown were serviceable at the guard positions. Jackson didn’t play at the Pro Bowl level he achieved in 2021, but was durable after missing three early-season games due to a finger injury.
Brown, meanwhile, stepped in as the consistent replacement to injured guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai after early season shuffling. He once again proved himself valuable, as injuries necessitated him stepping into a larger role for the second consecutive season.
As good as the Lions are on the line, there’s a chance for them to get even better. Decker is the oldest member of the starting lineup, with both he and Vaitai heading into their age-30 seasons.
The youth makes the potential of this unit tantalizing. Players such as Sewell, Jackson and Ragnow are all relatively new to the league and have plenty of room to grow.
Reason for worry
Injuries claimed Vaitai for the entire season before it even started, as he missed the year due to a back injury and subsequent surgery.
Replacing him was tough at the start, as the trio of Kayode Awosika, Dan Skipper and Logan Stenberg couldn’t do the trick. Brown, however, slid over from his traditional center position to fill the void.
In addition to three early games for which he was sidelined, Jackson also was forced to miss the Thanksgiving matchup against Buffalo. Awosika started in his place, and gave up a crucial sack that led to a safety during the third quarter.
Skipper and Stenberg also struggled during their opportunities. Skipper finished with an overall PFF grade of 44.2, while Stenberg finished with a 39.6 mark.
Ragnow’s injury history is also a concern. His 2021 season ended after four games due to a toe injury.
Health issues have prevented the predicted starting unit from playing even one snap together during the last two regular seasons. Campbell and company will be hoping that the luck changes next season.
Biggest question
What is Vaitai’s future with the team? The Lions have already restructured his original five-year, $45 million contract twice, and could be looking to unload what’s left of it during the offseason.
Though Vaitai has been a key member of the team throughout his tenure, releasing him could allow for increased salary-cap room heading into free agency. According to OverTheCap, the Lions could save around $6.5 million by cutting him before June 1, plus $9.5M by releasing him after June 1.
Now, both of these moves will incur dead money, with cutting him pre-June 1 costing around $5.9 million and post-June 1 leaving near $3 million.
There’s talent within the NFL Draft, too, if the Lions are looking to add another young piece on the offensive line. Florida’s O'Cyrus Torrence and North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch top the prospect leaderboards at the position.
Free agents
