PFF Ranks Detroit Lions' Offensive Line No. 10 in NFL

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes understands what it will take to aid new quarterback Jared Goff.

In order for Goff to have an opportunity to reach his potential in Motown, he will need to have a solid running game and an offensive line that he can rely upon to protect him.

The organization has invested heavily in its offensive line, as center Frank Ragnow is now the highest-paid center in the National Football League and Penei Sewell was drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Taylor Decker, meanwhile, is coming off of a 2020 season that saw him earn a career-high PFF grade of 82.0 and a pass-blocking grade of 85.8. He ranked 12th overall among all NFL tackles last season.

In PFF's latest ranking of the league's offensive lines, the Lions' unit was ranked 10th out of 32.

"The Lions will trot out rookie Penei Sewell at right tackle after drafting him with the seventh overall pick. He was the top offensive tackle on the PFF draft board," writes Steve Palazzolo. "Sewell posted the highest grade we’ve seen from a true freshman and the highest overall grade for any offensive tackle since 2014 prior to his opting out of the 2020 season. Sewell has the tools and production to become one of the better all-around tackles in the league very soon."

The guard position is where the biggest question marks arise. Left guard Jonah Jackson was graded as the 58th-best guard last year, and his 51.2 pass-blocking grade was the 67th best in the league.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai is hoping to rebound after a disappointing and injury-plagued 2020 season.

"Vaitai has spent most of his career at right tackle, but his power is a better fit at guard, which should mitigate some of his pass-blocking woes," according to Palazzolo.

Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley has earned the respect of the players, and the belief is that the Lions certainly have built the foundation of a productive offensive line for the next decade.

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