The Lions spent the offseason reshaping their tackle room, and now the real question is sitting right there on the practice field: who takes over at right tackle?
With Taylor Decker gone, Detroit had to act, and it did. The team signed Larry Borom in free agency and used a first-round pick on Blake Miller out of Clemson, setting up a competition that already feels like the most important one in camp. The expectation is that Miller will be the long-term answer, but the timing of that move is still up in the air.
Through camp, Miller has already picked up plenty of first-team work. Borom, though, isn’t going away. That’s why the battle for the Week 1 job has quickly become the one to watch in Detroit, especially with the offensive line needing to get back to form.
ESPN’s Eric Woodyard highlighted the matchup after a week of practices, pointing to how much the line matters to the Lions this season.
"There is an open competition for the Lions' starting job at right tackle which probably will be between rookie Blake Miller and veteran Larry Borom, who was acquired via free agency. After releasing veteran left tackle Taylor Decker during this offseason, the Lions switched Penei Sewell, an All-Pro right tackle to the left, which will make room for a new starter. Miller was selected No. 17 out of Clemson and will have a strong chance to start, but Borom has experience, making 38 starts in 63 career games, including 11 starts for the Miami Dolphins last season."
Borom brings the edge of experience, but his career has had its highs and lows, which makes him far from a sure thing as a starter. If he ends up opening the season in the lineup, it would likely mean Miller has been slowed by injury or hasn’t met the standard the Lions want from him early on. That would not be the outcome Detroit is hoping for.
For now, Miller is the player who matters most in this race. He’s the rookie the Lions want to push into a starting role quickly, with Borom ideally settling in as a dependable backup if the team needs him. That would be the cleanest result for the roster.
Dan Campbell, meanwhile, isn’t tipping his hand yet. With only a couple of days of padded work in the books, there just hasn’t been enough time to draw hard conclusions. Both players are going to get their chances, and Campbell knows the team will learn plenty as practice rolls on.
The coach believes Miller will keep developing, but Borom’s game experience gives Detroit a solid fallback. That combination could make for a productive fight all the way through the preseason.
By the time September arrives, this battle should tell the Lions a lot about where they stand. For now, it’s the one camp competition that stands above the rest.
In Other News...
Lions May Finally Be Getting An Answer At Cornerback
Training camp has given the Lions a closer look at one of their most important unresolved spots, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is right in the middle of it. With D.J. Reed locked in as the top corner, Detroit is sorting through the options for the job on the other side, and Rakestraw has earned first-team work while healthy enough to take part in the competition.
For a player whose early pro career has been slowed by injuries, simply being available has mattered almost as much as anything he has shown on the field. Dan Campbell has sounded encouraged by Rakestraws progress, even if the work remains uneven, and Rakestraw has kept his focus narrow - stay healthy, take it one day at a time, and try to keep stacking the kind of practices that can settle a position battle. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Veterans Suddenly Face A Real Camp Fight For Roster Spots
Training camp has a way of clarifying a roster, and in Detroit it is doing just that. The Lions have built enough depth that the last few spots are turning into a real battle, with veterans like Josh Paschal, Giovanni Manu and Trevor Nowaske all needing strong showings to hold off younger challengers and stay in the conversation as the preseason unfolds.
That kind of pressure only increases when injuries start reshaping the picture, because every missed rep gives someone else a chance to climb. Detroit is still sorting out the roles and performances at the edge of the roster, and while some players have the benefit of experience, the competition has made even familiar names feel less secure than they did when camp opened. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookies Are Already Facing Two Early Camp Pressure Points
Training camp has already turned into a proving ground for the Lions rookie class, with some young players getting pushed into bigger jobs earlier than expected. Blake Miller is in the thick of a competition for a starting role, while the rest of the first-year group is trying to sort out new responsibilities and earn trust before the preseason opener against the Bengals. It is the kind of August stretch that can shape a rookies first impression fast, especially on a roster that is not shy about letting competition sort things out.
The bigger concern has come on the injury front, where a couple of rookies have been forced to step back just as the camp battles heat up. That has already altered the mix at linebacker and helped lead Detroit to bring in veteran Devin White for depth and insurance, a reminder that even early training camp can expose how thin the margin is for young players. The next few practices should tell a lot about how the Lions plan to keep the rookie class on track while the roster keeps shifting around them. [Read more 🡒]