Why Lions Clearly Trust Juice Scruggs Based on Minicamp

The Detroit Lions are set to have plenty of competition for spots along their offensive line.

Penei Sewell is entrenched as the team's left tackle, while Cade Mays is expected to handle the center duties after signing a three-year contract in the offseason. However, at the other three spots there could be possible position battles.

One spot that Lions' sixth-year head coach Dan Campbell admitted was open was the left guard position, which was held by Christian Mahogany for the majority of last season. Now healed from an injury that sidelined him for a stretch last year, Mahogany will be battling to earn his spot back.

Detroit also brought in competition for him, as they made a pair of additions that could be challenging the incumbent Mahogany for the left guard position. One is veteran free agent Ben Bartch, while the other is Juice Scruggs, was acquired in the David Montgomery trade.

A second-round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft, Scruggs has appeared in 37 games with 20 starts. He has experience playing all three of the interior offensive line spots, which will be extremely beneficial for the Lions.

When the Lions elected to give up Montgomery, it was a savvy move by general manager Brad Holmes to get Scruggs along with a draft pick in return. He has the starter-level ability, which benefits the team's depth.

Entering the last year of his rookie contract, Scruggs is a minimal risk for the Lions from a long-term standpoint, though a strong season could certainly get him rewarded with a new deal in Detroit.

Last season was something of a struggle for Scruggs, who finished the year with a Pro Football Focus overall offensive grade of 45.0. He finished with marks of 57.7 and 40.5 in pass-blocking and run-blocking, respectively.

Despite the challenges he faced last year, where he appeared in all 17 games but started just one, the Lions seem to be optimistic about what he can provide.

Entering the offseason, the Lions set out to restock the team's offensive line depth. In addition to acquiring Scruggs, they signed Mays and Larry Borom to bolster the group as a whole. The result is now a series of veterans battling for spots on the depth chart, a competitive environment that raises all efforts.

With offseason workouts in the rearview mirror, Scruggs' usage points to a possibly intriguing role. In addition to competing for a guard spot, there have reportedly been some expirimenting with him as a possible extra offensive lineman.

Scruggs' versatility appears to be something the Lions will use as an asset, as his multi-position ability gives them some flexibility. Time will tell whether Tate Ratledge is a lock to handle the right guard position again this season, but by all indications he is expected to.

As a result, the Lions are focusing on working Scruggs in at left guard along with some dutes for a potential jumbo offensive line role. Though it is still early, the Lions seem to have intriguing plans set up for Scruggs for the 2026 campaign.

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