BobbyLayne
Footballguy
@Ministry of Pain
Sorry for jumping the line, but like an artist who paints bc it just has to come out, welp, I have to write about some offensive lineman this morning.
@FBG Moderator
@Joe Bryant
What are we? What's our core foundation?
What are we? What makes us what we are, and what we're going to be? I think it's that right there.
{points at wall where the word G R I T is painted in five foot high letters}
GRIT.
It's what we started with last year, guys, all you guys that were in here. It's our core foundation, man, GRIT, and what does it mean? Really, in a nutshell, I think it means this: we'll go a little bit longer, we'll push a little harder, and we'll think a little deeper and be a little sharper. To me it means we'll play you anywhere - we'll play you on grass, we'll play you turf, hell we'll play you in a ****ing landfill. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you have one *** check and three toes, I will beat your ***.
The Motor City Road Graders
Hey, you should try keeping track week to week.
It's one of the better offensive lines in the National Football League. This has been building for awhile, because they've been together for awhile. In Dan Campbell's three years in Detroit the presumptive starting OL has not changed. But during that 41 game span, they have played together as a starting unit exactly one time - Opening Night, 2023. This write-up won't be about the starting five, although all of them will be covered, but it's about understanding they need(ed) all 10 of them who made the 69 man roster - the 53-man, plus the 16 players on the practice squad. They need every one of them.
That's how they roll in Detroit. They've got a couple guys with superstar talent, but this is not a team of stars.
#68 LT Taylor Decker
Ohio State
6'7" 318
1st round (16th pick) 2016 draft 102 starts
Career PFF Grades: 82.1-65.3-70.6-75.9-82.0-75.5-74.4-70.3
Career PBLK Grades: 82.1-73.2-80.6-76.3-85.8-84.0-76.5-78.5
2023 PBLK ranks 22nd out of 120 graded Tackles
8 year starter at LT
#60 G/C Graham Glasgow
Michigan
6'6" 315
3rd round 95th pick 2016 draft 96 starts
2023 PFF Grade 81.6 ranks 5th out of 108 graded Guards
Drafted by Lions, resigned after 3 yr stint with Broncos. 3769 career snaps/59 starts at LG/RG, 2370 career snap/37 starts C
#77 C Frank "Wongar" Ragnow
Arkansas
6'5" 310
1st round (20th pick) 2018 draft 72 starts
2022 Pro Bowl
RBLK grade - 5th
PBLK grade - 16th
BLK Grade - 4th (out of 49 C)
When healthy ranks with Jason Kelce and Creed Humphrey as one of the best centers. Calls the protection assignments pre-snap. World class fisherman and avid outdoorsman. Doubtful (calf), plays every snap despite inoperable big toe injury that requires weekly maintenance.
#73 LG Jonah Jackson
Ohio State
6'4" 311
3rd round (75th pick) 202 pick 50 starts
2021 Pro Bowl
PFF Grade ranks 35th out of 108 G
Currently on injury report with high ankle sprain that has kept him out of the last 2-1/2 games.
#72 RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai
TCU
6'6" 322
5th round (164th pick) by Philadelphia; signed as FA 2020 48 starts
PFF Grade ranks 17th out of 108 G
After starting at RG in 2020 & 2021, missed all of 2022 with a back injury. Coming back L4-L5 Lumbar spinal fusion, back has been acting up this week and it is unknown if he plays Monday.
#58 RT Penei Sewell
Oregon
6'5" 335
1st round (7th pick) 2021 draft 40 starts
Highest graded RT in the NFL
PFF Grade 81.1 7th out of 119 T
RBLK Grade 77.0 13th out of 120
PBLK Grade 84.2 7th out of 120
First pick of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell era, team captain, turned 23 earlier this month. Nasty player. His matchup with Maxx Crosby will be epic. Hasn't allowed a sack in 15 games going back to Week 10 of 2022.
Those are the six starters, but on this team - bc literally every week someone is banged up - the reserve offensive lineman play a vital role. One of them is often starting, this week it's Yode getting his 4th career start.
#74 LG Kayode Awosika
Buffalo
6'3" 315
UDFA 2022 draft signed by Philadelphia (2nd most udfa GTD money), signed September 2022 off Eagles practice squad 3 starts
PFF Grade ranks 34th out of 108 G
One of seven Nigerian players on the team. Has improved dramatically this year. Started 2 games last year and will make his 4th career start in his 17th NFL game on MNF.
#70 RT (RG) Dan Skipper
Arkansas
6'9" 330
UDFA who has played on 10 NFL teams (20+ contracts) has never made a team out of TC 5 starts
PFF Grade 77.9 ranks 14th out of 120 T
PBLK Grade 79.3 ranks 17th out 120 T
Started 5 games last year - including his first NFL start v WAS when he became the tallest player to ever start at guard. Serves at the 6th OL in 13 personnel, only TEN runs more 3 TE formations.
#75 RG (RT) Colby Sorsdal
William & Mary
6'3" 315
5th round 154th pick 2023 Draft
PFF Grade ranks 97th out of 120 t
Developmental rookie who played well on 36 snaps Week 3 as the 4th string RT when 2 players were injured in game. Though he was a RT in college he repped mostly at G this summer. The Lions routinely mix up reps so all of OL have the ability to multiple positions if required. Solid contributor each week on Special Teams, active every game if an emergency arises. There is a non-zero chance he gets the start at RG this week.
#67 T Matt Nelson
Iowa
6'7" 315
UDFA 2020 converted OL after playing only DL in college 14 starts
PFF PBLK ranks 41st out of 120 T
Last year's swing T and 6th OL in 13 personnel formations; season ending IR (knee.)
Sorry for jumping the line, but like an artist who paints bc it just has to come out, welp, I have to write about some offensive lineman this morning.
@FBG Moderator
@Joe Bryant
What are we? What's our core foundation?
What are we? What makes us what we are, and what we're going to be? I think it's that right there.
{points at wall where the word G R I T is painted in five foot high letters}
GRIT.
It's what we started with last year, guys, all you guys that were in here. It's our core foundation, man, GRIT, and what does it mean? Really, in a nutshell, I think it means this: we'll go a little bit longer, we'll push a little harder, and we'll think a little deeper and be a little sharper. To me it means we'll play you anywhere - we'll play you on grass, we'll play you turf, hell we'll play you in a ****ing landfill. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you have one *** check and three toes, I will beat your ***.
The Motor City Road Graders
- Left Tackle Taylor Decker
- Left Guard Jonah Jackson (OUT) Halapoulivaati Vaitai (QUESTIONABLE) Kayode Awosika
- Center Frank Ragnow (DOUBTFUL) Graham Glasgow
- Left Guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai (QUESTIONABLE) Graham Glasgow (likely playing C) Colby Sorsdal
- Right Tackle Penei Sewell Dan Skipper Matt Nelson
Hey, you should try keeping track week to week.
Game | Left Tackle | Left Guard | Center | Right Guard | Right Tackle |
| Week 1 at Kansas City TNF | Taylor Decker | Jonah Jackson | Frank Ragnow | Halapoulivaati Vaitai | Penei Sewell |
| Week 2 Seattle | Penei Sewell | Jonah Jackson | Frank Ragnow | Halapoulivaati Vaitai(knee)-Graham Glasgow | Matt Nelson |
| Week 3 Atlanta | Penei Sewell | Jonah Jackson | Frank Ragnow | Graham Glasgow | Matt Nelson (knee)-Dan Skipper (ankle)-Colby Sorsdal |
| Week 4 at Green Bay TNF | Taylor Decker | Jonah Jackson | Frank Ragnow | Graham Glasgow | Penei Sewell |
| Week 5 Carolina | Taylor Decker | Jonah Jackson-Kayode Awosika | Frank Ragnow | Graham Glasgow | Penei Sewell |
| Week 6 at Tampa Bay | Taylor Decker | Kayode Awosika | Frank Ragnow | Graham Glasgow | Penei Sewell |
| Week 7 at Baltimore | Taylor Decker | Halapoulivaati Vaitai | Frank Ragnow | Graham Glasgow | Penei Sewell |
| Week 8 Las Vegas MNF | Taylor Decker | Kayode Awosika | Graham Glasgow | who knows hoping Hal Vaitai | Penei Sewell |
It's one of the better offensive lines in the National Football League. This has been building for awhile, because they've been together for awhile. In Dan Campbell's three years in Detroit the presumptive starting OL has not changed. But during that 41 game span, they have played together as a starting unit exactly one time - Opening Night, 2023. This write-up won't be about the starting five, although all of them will be covered, but it's about understanding they need(ed) all 10 of them who made the 69 man roster - the 53-man, plus the 16 players on the practice squad. They need every one of them.
That's how they roll in Detroit. They've got a couple guys with superstar talent, but this is not a team of stars.
#68 LT Taylor Decker
Ohio State
6'7" 318
1st round (16th pick) 2016 draft 102 starts
Career PFF Grades: 82.1-65.3-70.6-75.9-82.0-75.5-74.4-70.3
Career PBLK Grades: 82.1-73.2-80.6-76.3-85.8-84.0-76.5-78.5
2023 PBLK ranks 22nd out of 120 graded Tackles
8 year starter at LT
#60 G/C Graham Glasgow
Michigan
6'6" 315
3rd round 95th pick 2016 draft 96 starts
2023 PFF Grade 81.6 ranks 5th out of 108 graded Guards
Drafted by Lions, resigned after 3 yr stint with Broncos. 3769 career snaps/59 starts at LG/RG, 2370 career snap/37 starts C
#77 C Frank "Wongar" Ragnow
Arkansas
6'5" 310
1st round (20th pick) 2018 draft 72 starts
2022 Pro Bowl
RBLK grade - 5th
PBLK grade - 16th
BLK Grade - 4th (out of 49 C)
When healthy ranks with Jason Kelce and Creed Humphrey as one of the best centers. Calls the protection assignments pre-snap. World class fisherman and avid outdoorsman. Doubtful (calf), plays every snap despite inoperable big toe injury that requires weekly maintenance.
#73 LG Jonah Jackson
Ohio State
6'4" 311
3rd round (75th pick) 202 pick 50 starts
2021 Pro Bowl
PFF Grade ranks 35th out of 108 G
Currently on injury report with high ankle sprain that has kept him out of the last 2-1/2 games.
#72 RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai
TCU
6'6" 322
5th round (164th pick) by Philadelphia; signed as FA 2020 48 starts
PFF Grade ranks 17th out of 108 G
After starting at RG in 2020 & 2021, missed all of 2022 with a back injury. Coming back L4-L5 Lumbar spinal fusion, back has been acting up this week and it is unknown if he plays Monday.
#58 RT Penei Sewell
Oregon
6'5" 335
1st round (7th pick) 2021 draft 40 starts
Highest graded RT in the NFL
PFF Grade 81.1 7th out of 119 T
RBLK Grade 77.0 13th out of 120
PBLK Grade 84.2 7th out of 120
First pick of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell era, team captain, turned 23 earlier this month. Nasty player. His matchup with Maxx Crosby will be epic. Hasn't allowed a sack in 15 games going back to Week 10 of 2022.
Those are the six starters, but on this team - bc literally every week someone is banged up - the reserve offensive lineman play a vital role. One of them is often starting, this week it's Yode getting his 4th career start.
#74 LG Kayode Awosika
Buffalo
6'3" 315
UDFA 2022 draft signed by Philadelphia (2nd most udfa GTD money), signed September 2022 off Eagles practice squad 3 starts
PFF Grade ranks 34th out of 108 G
One of seven Nigerian players on the team. Has improved dramatically this year. Started 2 games last year and will make his 4th career start in his 17th NFL game on MNF.
#70 RT (RG) Dan Skipper
Arkansas
6'9" 330
UDFA who has played on 10 NFL teams (20+ contracts) has never made a team out of TC 5 starts
PFF Grade 77.9 ranks 14th out of 120 T
PBLK Grade 79.3 ranks 17th out 120 T
Started 5 games last year - including his first NFL start v WAS when he became the tallest player to ever start at guard. Serves at the 6th OL in 13 personnel, only TEN runs more 3 TE formations.
#75 RG (RT) Colby Sorsdal
William & Mary
6'3" 315
5th round 154th pick 2023 Draft
PFF Grade ranks 97th out of 120 t
Developmental rookie who played well on 36 snaps Week 3 as the 4th string RT when 2 players were injured in game. Though he was a RT in college he repped mostly at G this summer. The Lions routinely mix up reps so all of OL have the ability to multiple positions if required. Solid contributor each week on Special Teams, active every game if an emergency arises. There is a non-zero chance he gets the start at RG this week.
#67 T Matt Nelson
Iowa
6'7" 315
UDFA 2020 converted OL after playing only DL in college 14 starts
PFF PBLK ranks 41st out of 120 T
Last year's swing T and 6th OL in 13 personnel formations; season ending IR (knee.)
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