The Lions’ offensive line had some surprising highs and lows against Washington. One rookie struggled, while another young lineman may have just strengthened his case to make the team
The Detroit Lions picked up their first victory of the preseason Saturday, defeating the Washington Commanders 17-13.
While the final score is not the most important part of the preseason, the game provided another opportunity for players competing for roster spots and starting jobs to make their case.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades offer another way to evaluate those performances. Here’s a look at how Detroit’s tight ends and offensive linemen graded out in the Lions’ second preseason game.
Tight Ends
Brock Wright could be one of the more important players to watch heading into the regular season.
With Sam LaPorta currently dealing with a hip injury, Wright could potentially find himself as Detroit’s starting tight end in Week 1.
Wright played 12 snaps against Washington and finished with a 63.2 overall PFF grade. He was particularly solid as a pass blocker, earning a 70.2 pass-blocking grade.
If LaPorta is unable to return in time for the start of the regular season, Wright could be asked to take on a much larger role.
Tyler Conklin is another tight end who could see significant playing time early in the season.
Conklin played 27 snaps but finished with a 58.9 overall PFF grade. His biggest issue came as a pass blocker, where he received a very poor 9.3 grade.
That is certainly a number worth monitoring as Detroit continues preparing for the regular season.
Offensive Line
The offensive line produced a mixed performance against Washington, with several players standing out while others struggled.
Let’s start with rookie first round pick Blake Miller.
Miller played 15 snaps and finished with a 49.8 overall PFF grade, which was the third-worst offensive grade on the team.
His 28.8 pass-blocking grade was particularly concerning, while he earned a 55.3 run-blocking grade.
However, there is no reason to panic about Miller after just his second preseason game. The rookie is still adjusting to the NFL, and preseason games are part of that development process.
Seth McLaughlin played a much larger workload, taking 52 snaps. With Cade Mays expected to miss significant time because of his wrist injury, McLaughlin could have an important role early in the season as a backup center if he were to make the team.
Unfortunately, McLaughlin struggled against Washington. He finished with a 50.9 overall PFF grade, a 45.9 pass-blocking grade and a 64.7 run-blocking grade. He was also flagged for two penalties.
Juice Scruggs, Larry Borom, and Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge each played 15 snaps.
Scruggs finished with a 58.7 overall grade, starting the game at center, and his 79.1 pass-blocking grade was encouraging. He earned a 55.7 run-blocking grade.
Borom started at left tackle and finished with a 56.0 overall grade, including a 52.4 pass-blocking grade and a 55.4 run-blocking grade.
Mahogany also finished with a 58.7 overall grade, but had an impressive 81.0 pass blocking grade.
One of the biggest bright spots on the offensive line was Tate Ratledge.
Ratledge started the game, finishing with a 76.7 overall PFF grade. He earned an impressive 81.0 pass-blocking grade and a 72.0 run-blocking grade.
Ratledge has a chance to take a major step forward this season and establish himself as a legitimate long-term piece of Detroit’s offensive line.
Miles Frazier also showed improvement. He played 49 snaps at right guard and finished with a 62.2 overall grade. His 82.5 pass-blocking grade was particularly impressive, although his 52.7 run-blocking grade left room for improvement.
Frazier was also called for one false-start penalty.
Overall, Detroit’s offensive line had some good moments against Washington, but there are still plenty of questions to answer before Week 1. With roster cuts approaching and several players competing for starting and backup roles, the final preseason game will be crucial for determining who earns a spot on the Lions’ 53-man roster.
