The Detroit Lions have major questions to answer early in the 2025 season, and arguably the biggest will come up front along their offensive line.
This offseason, the Lions not only lost center Frank Ragnow to retirement, but allowed guard Kevin Zeitler to walk in free agency. One of those holes was not unavoidable, but the other certainly was.
By allowing a stable Pro Bowler like Zeitler to sign with the Tennessee Titans, the Lions signaled they believe they have a ready-made solution on the roster to step in. That's just what one expert sees ahead of training camp when it comes to guard Christian Mahogany.
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks put together an all-breakout team ahead of the 2025 season, and Mahogany was his selection at one of the guard spots. As he explained, there is presure on the second-year player to deliver given everything that has gone on.
"All eyes will be on the former sixth-rounder as he steps into a significant role as a second-year pro. With Detroit needing to make up for the losses of guard Kevin Zeitler (free agency) and center Frank Ragnow (retirement), Mahogany must dominate the middle of the line to ensure Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery can attack in that area on the downhill runs that set the tone for the offense."
"He'll also have to handle the super-sized pass rushers within the NFC North to help give Jared Goff the clean pocket he'll need to continue torching opponents with pinpoint throws and keep the Lions' attack humming."
Obviously, Brooks sees Mahogany as being able to stand up to pressures of the position enough to be a breakout star this season. That would be a big development for the Lions, who need their line to be solid to have a chance at maintaining their standard of play.
Penei Sewell not worried about adjusting to a new partner up front
One of the biggest variables that will determine the success of Mahogany is how he jells with his teammates. Late in the year, he got a chance to prove he belonged and did not disappoint. Sewell doesn't care who sees the field as long as he sees the game similarly and plays hard.
"It's just, whoever's in there, I mean, we got to go. At the end of the day, I have a pretty good relationship with everyone in the room, so it doesn't matter who's in there. I would say maybe the little difference is those initial thoughts of what you see on the defense and if you have to say something or if you don't have to say something. If I see the same things that he sees or vice versa."
There will be ample time for Sewell and Mahogany to work on the intricacies of pass protection and run blocking during training camp and early in the season. The biggest question is whether Mahogany is up to the task physically. Brooks believes that will be proven true in a big way.
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