Detroit Lions Bring In Two Guards For Tryouts

The Detroit Lions have not even hit the second preseason game and are already afflicted with the injury bug.

Following the loss of projected starting center Cade Mays, Ben Bartch was the latest offensive lineman to be impacted with a health issue. The veteran is currently in concussion protocol.

This follows a preseason game against Cincinnati where the Lions saw two offensive guard options, Christian Mahogany and Miles Frazier, combine for five penalties.

As a result, the Lions have turned to look at options outside of the organization, working out a pair of lineman, including 2015 Detroit Lions first-round draft pick Laken Tomlinson, alongside Will Hernandez. Ari Meirov broke the news first.

Laken Tomlinson spent two years in Motown before being traded to San Francisco, where he spent five years with the franchise, culminating in a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. He has bounced around the league since, as the Lions would be his fifth team since 2022 if he comes back to Detroit.

Tomlinson last spent 2025 with Houston, starting seven of the team's first 10 games before being released. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens practice squad to end the season. His numbers on PFF did not qualify for a ranking among the 81 qualified players, although the limited snaps do mark higher than Juice Scruggs. Scruggs, however, was not credited with allowing a sack while Tomlinson allowed three.

Will Hernandez was the other player to work out with Detroit, and he is a familiar face for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Hernandez, a former second-round pick out of UTEP, has experience at both guard and center in his career, playing in 104 games with 98 starts.

He has struggled with durability at points in his career, losing his starting job in New York after COVID-19, before suffering pectoral, knee, and hip injuries that altered his season in three of his four seasons with the Cardinals.

Last season in Arizona, Hernandez graded on the lower end of guards, being ranked 77th of 81 guards. His season ended on November 29 due to injury, which does mean that he ranked 71st of 81 guards in terms of snaps played.

Ironically, again in comparison to Scruggs, Hernandez was the slot directly above the former Houston Texan, with Scruggs slotting in 78th for PFF rankings.

Juice Scruggs update

The former NFL tight end provided additional insights prior to practice on Thursday regarding how Juice Scruggs has progressed since his return from injury.

"I think it's been probably what you would imagine a little bit. He just got back and now he's exclusive center and there's been a little bit of, we have got to kick some of the rust off of here. We have got to get a little bit of that off there and let those guys work together," said Campbell. "But, I did think yesterday was better. And particularly in a lot of that situational work to where they got to be on the same page with some stuff. And the rest of the old line, I think those only help. Like I say, Juice has played center, he's played in real games. He's suited for it.

"And it's just really about he getting up to speed with (Lions QB Jared) Goff and some of our calls and then those being on the same page with the guards and everything. But, time on task. We have got time to get there. So, like I said, I see Juice playing in this game with that O-line. And so, this will be good work for them.”

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