Christian Mahogany has turned a wide-open left guard battle into one of the Lions’ cleaner answers this season, and now the question is whether Detroit should even disturb it.
Mahogany has done everything you’d want from a player trying to lock down a job. He’s been one of the highest-graded guards week after week after Lions games, he’s stayed away from penalties, and he’s been on the field when the team has needed him. That matters because the other names tied to the spot haven’t been nearly as steady, including Ben Bartch, who is still on the outside looking in at the left guard rotation.
But Cade Mays’ impending return changes the conversation. Juice Scruggs, who has been a surprise for Detroit this season, could be the next man asked to challenge Mahogany for that left guard role. Scruggs has gone from a likely second-string guard to the team’s starting center over the first four weeks, and now he may get a look at another spot.
There’s a case for letting that happen. The Lions originally planned to rotate Mahogany and Bartch at left guard, but that idea never really got off the ground because the two were never healthy at the same time. Scruggs getting work there could give Detroit some insurance at a position that has been tough to keep stable.
The numbers on Mahogany make the other side of the argument pretty easy to see, too. He’s appeared in just 21 games over three years with the Lions and has started only 15 of them. This year, he has started all three games he’s played and has been excellent, putting up an 86.7 overall PFF grade for 2026, which ranks second among eligible guards.
That kind of form usually earns more, not fewer, snaps. And with the way Mahogany has settled in, pulling him out now would mean taking reps away from a player who seems to be growing with every start.
Dan Campbell’s comments earlier this week only sharpen the concern. Speaking Tuesday morning on 91.7 FM The Ticket, the Lions coach said, “Our discipline is not good enough across the board and we’re playing very average football right now.
And that’s everywhere. That’s not just defense.
We’ve gotta pick up the slack on offense and special teams right now,”
That’s why the idea of shuffling the left guard spot feels risky. Detroit can’t really afford extra pressure on Jared Goff, especially with the defense in a fragile place right now. Plugging a guard-turned-center-turned-guard back into left guard might make sense on paper, but it could also lead to average results on offense.
For now, the Lions have a good problem on their hands: too much quality depth up front. What they do with Scruggs once Mays is back will say plenty about how much they trust Mahogany’s hold on the job.
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