2020 Projections: Lions' Starting Offensive Guards

The Lions had some turnover in their offensive guard room this season.

Gone is Graham Glasgow, and in are two rookies.

Detroit general manager Bob Quinn drafted Ohio State product Jonah Jackson in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and then proceeded to take Kentucky's Logan Stenberg with his next selection in the following round.

At this time, there is some uncertainty as to who the Lions' starters at both guard spots will be.

Returning from last year's roster are Joe Dahl and Kenny Wiggins -- both of whom received plenty of playing time a season ago.

In a rather odd deployment, the Lions utilized an unorthodox guard rotation in 2019.

Dahl and Glasgow were the de facto starters at left and right guard respectively, but Wiggins consistently subbed in at both spots throughout the season.

Jonah Jackson - Lions OL / © Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

It’s unclear if Lions head coach Matt Patricia will continue that trend this upcoming season.

So, who will be the team’s starters heading into 2020?

Considering Dahl was one of the top options last year, it’s likely he has a leg up on the competition.

With his first year in a starting role, he was a decent performer.

Going by ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric, he finished the season with a 95 percent win rate -- good for sixth-best among all guards in the NFL.

When looking at Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grade, he ranked a little lower at 23rd out of 88 qualified guards.

In terms of run-blocking, his grade was much more toward the mean -- No. 48 overall.

Dahl’s play was nothing extraordinary, but it was solid overall.

Maybe the bigger question surrounding Dahl will be which side he will line up on.

Despite being cross-trained all along the offensive line and even as a fullback and as a big tight end, he has not once taken a snap at right guard in a regular season game.

The reason that Dahl could potentially be on the move is due to the rookie in Jackson.

If the Lions envision Jackson as their long-term solution on the left side, the newcomer could subsequently force Dahl to relocate to right guard.

Jackson is a natural pass blocker and technician.

In Jackson’s last two seasons in the Big Ten, he only allowed one sack or hit while being used in standard pass-blocking sets more than any other guard in the 2020 NFL Draft class.

Typically, the pass-blocking oriented guard is plugged in on the left side, while a more prototypical road grader plays on the right.

That’s not to say that Jackson couldn’t line up at right guard and play just fine -- he has college experience playing every interior position.

Jackson’s great technique and understanding of leverage make him very pro-ready heading into year one.

Overall, both Jackson and Dahl probably fit best on the left side for most teams' schemes. But, there can only be one lining up at the position.

One will have to play next to free-agent acquisition and right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, if the two are, in fact, the starting duo.

Depending on how the training camp battles unfold, there is still a very real chance either Wiggins or Stenberg could steal a starting spot as well.

Stenberg was one of the meanest run blockers in this year’s draft -- perfect for the right guard vacancy.

However, due to the run-heavy offensive scheme he was in while at Kentucky, he has a lot of developing to do in the pass-blocking department. Very rarely was Stenberg asked to protect a quarterback in a traditional pocket nor is he the most fleet of foot.

Stenberg is much more of a project player than his rookie counterpart in Jackson.

Lastly, Wiggins can’t be counted out as a potential starter, either.

Remember, he was the player the Lions most often used -- and much to the fanbase's chagrin -- as the third guard in the rotation.

Wiggins saw 283 snaps at right guard in 2019, and even had a few starts sprinkled in throughout the year due to injuries.

Considering the Lions signed him to a veteran minimum contract with a nominal dead cap hit if released, it does possibly indicate that they may not be completely sold on Wiggins as a starter.

At the very least, he can provide the group with a serviceable veteran that is familiar with the scheme.

Make no mistake, the guard position will be one of the top battles going into the season, and a lot can change as the season progresses.

Right now, Dahl and Jackson should be penciled in as the starting guards.

It remains to be seen as to which side each individual will line up on. But, if Jackson is the left guard of the future, it makes more sense to start his career off there.

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