Lions Do Not Have Any Guards Under Contract Beyond 2023

The Detroit Lions do not have any guards under contract beyond the 2023 NFL season.

Left guard Jonah Jackson signed his four-year rookie contract in 2020, and will potentially be due an extension following the conclusion of the upcoming season.

Detroit's front office received encouraging news regarding the health status of veteran guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, setting up a competition between the 29-year-old and Graham Glasgow, who returned to Detroit after a stint with the Denver Broncos.

After signing a five-year, $45 million contract in 2020, Vaitai missed the entire 2022 season, after undergoing back surgery.

The former Eagles lineman missed six games with a foot injury in 2020 and two more games in 2021.

“Vaitai, man, he’s a good player. He’s a starting-level guard who fits what we’re about along the offensive line. But, obviously, there are question marks, or were question marks about his health and all of that," Detroit general manager Brad Holmes said at the league meetings. "To get Glasgow in the fold, and Glasgow is a guy that’s got positional versatility, as well. Obviously, we all know about his ability at guard, but the stuff that he did at center on tape last year was really exciting. It’s good to have that competition, and it should be good.”

Glasgow returns to the team that made him a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, after a stint with the Broncos.

"A guy like Graham raises the floor again. He's been a starter in this league. He's been a pretty good center. He's got guard flex, obviously. And so, he's a guy that we know can go in there and compete to start," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. "And, let's see where Big V's at, coming off of this back.”

In the pre-draft process, the personnel department has done extensive research on UCLA’s Antonio Mafi, North Carolina State’s Chandler Zavala and TCU guard Steve Avila.