The Lions Are Sitting on Hidden Depth at Tackle
Brad Holmes has rebuilt this offensive line from the ground up, and now he might have a secret weapon hiding in plain sight. Miles Frazier, the guard who came from LSU with serious versatility, could be making a move to tackle. And honestly, it makes perfect sense.
The Lions went all-in on offensive line help. They grabbed Cade Mays at center and Larry Borom as their swing tackle in free agency. Blake Miller was their pick for starting right tackle in the draft. Then they loaded up on interior depth with Juice Scruggs, Ben Bartch, Seth McLaughlin, Melvin Preistly, plus bringing back Michael Niese while already having Frazier and Christian Mahogany on the roster.
That’s a lot of bodies. That’s also a lot of competition for the left guard spot. But here’s the thing: Frazier might not even be in that battle.
Why Moving Frazier to Tackle Just Works
Holmes loves versatility. If you can do more than one thing on this roster, you’ve got his attention. Frazier checks every box here.
At LSU, this guy didn’t just dabble at different positions. He played right guard, left guard, left tackle, and right tackle for full seasons. He’s got the size at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, and the athleticism to make it work. His arms are just under 33 inches, which isn’t ideal for tackle, but we’re not talking about making him a starter right away.
The plan would be simple: let him develop behind Borom as the swing tackle in 2025, spend 2026 learning the position, and maybe step into that bigger role in 2027. It’s a long-term play that could pay massive dividends.
The Ripple Effect Is Real
Moving Frazier to tackle creates some interesting dominoes. For starters, it probably means the Giovanni Manu experiment is over. Sometimes projects don’t work out, and that’s fine. Unless Manu shows up with some major improvements, his roster spot is in serious jeopardy.
But here’s where it gets interesting for the Lions: suddenly there’s more room in the guard competition. Mahogany and Scruggs get better odds at making the roster. Maybe Ben Bartch finds his way onto the team, or Michael Niese locks down a spot with his ability to play both guard and center.
This move makes the Lions deeper across the board. More options, more flexibility, more guys who can step in when injuries hit. And yes, I know what you’re thinking: this feels too smart, too forward-thinking for a Lions team. But that’s the old Lions. Holmes builds rosters like this.
The question isn’t whether this makes sense. It absolutely does. The question is whether they’ll actually pull the trigger on it.
Think Frazier can make the switch from guard to tackle, or is this just wishful thinking? Drop your take in the comments below.
