The Detroit Lions might roll into Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints with two left guards, as Coach Dan Campbell revealed he’s considering playing both Christian Mahogany and Ben Bartch on Sunday. It’s an eye-brow raiser, for sure, especially since the team was originally hoping for a full-on competition at left guard during training camp.
Why the Lions Have a Week 1 Left Guard Dilemma
The plan was to have Mahogany, Bartch, and even Juice Scruggs battle it out for that starting left guard spot. But injuries threw a wrench into everything. Bartch missed a significant chunk of camp, and Scruggs had to move over to center when Cade Mays got hurt. That left Mahogany as the guy, and he didn’t give the job up. However, Bartch has been back for the last couple of weeks of camp, and Campbell says the competition is now “very much ongoing.” In fact, it’s so tight that both Mahogany and Bartch are splitting first-team reps in practice all this week. Campbell confirmed, “This week is going to be,today, they’re going to split (reps). I see them splitting on Thursday. I see them splitting on Friday.”
Experience vs. The Unknown
Playing two guys at left guard in Week 1 is going to immediately trigger some Lions fans. They’re still haunted by the days when former coach Matt Patricia tried a guard rotation with Graham Glasgow, Kenny Wiggins, and Joe Dahl. But this situation is different. Detroit is actually still trying to find their starter because those training camp injuries delayed the whole competition. There’s a real belief they’ll eventually land on one guy, but it might take a few weeks into the season. Mahogany, a 2024 sixth-round pick, has been in the offense for his third year now and brings 12 starts to the table, though he’s coming off a tough season. Bartch is new to the team this year, but he’s got a ton more experience with 24 starts under his belt, and the Lions coaching staff has been hyping him up since free agency. General Manager Brad Holmes said last week, “Bartch hasn’t been out there as much, but when he was out there, he was good. He performed well; he just wasn’t able to be out there as much. But I would say last week with the practices, the scrimmage, and that preseason game, he earned his spot.”
Media won’t see the actual competition behind the scenes since training camp is over, but come kickoff on Sunday against the Saints, we’ll all get to see who has at least temporarily won the left guard job. This could be one of the early-season storylines to watch closely!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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