By Sam Robinson | at March 25, 2026 9:58 am
Not long after hosting Ben Bartch on a visit, the Lions have a deal in place. The veteran guard signed with Detroit on Wednesday, according to a team announcement.
Bartch comes over from San Francisco, where he began last season as a Week 1 starter. Injuries sidetracked Bartch last season, and he joins a Lions team returning two guard starters. But the six-year veteran has 24 career starts and represents an interesting interior swingman behind Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany.
This marks a third notable interior O-line investment from the Lions in free agency. The team signed ex-Panthers center Cade Mays and added former Texans starter/swingman Juice Scruggs in the David Montgomery trade. Scruggs and Bartch could profile as higher-end depth for a team that dealt with injuries along the interior following **Frank Ragnow**‘s retirement (and failed unretirement).
More to come.