The Detroit Lions‘ starting center competition has just started to ramp up now that the team is dealing with Cade Mays missing time in the regular season due to a wrist injury. The team had Seth McLaughlin get the first crack at center, but they have recently worked in veteran Juice Scruggs and right guard Tate Ratledge.
Dan Campbell was asked about the center position and was very candid during a sit-down interview with Brad Galli. Campbell quickly noted Scruggs and made it sound as if he was the top option.
“There’s a reason we got juice in this trade,” said Campbell of the David Montgomery trade. “Juice has played in this league, and he’s played a lot of center snaps. He’s played guard too, but center really, really suits him.”
Campbell emphasized that Scruggs appears to be the best fit for the job.
Campbell then discussed Tate Ratledge as the potential backup plan.
“There is no reason Tate can’t play center,” Campbell noted.
What is most interesting to note is that from that point, he shifted to the rest of the line and building the top five if they did shift Ratledge into center.
“Then it’s about (Christian) Mahogany, (Ben) Bartch, (Miles) Frazier, so we will do whatever we have to do to find the best five.”
He mentioned five players and their roles in the center competition but did not mention Seth McLaughlin.
Detroit Lions Center Competition Coming Into Clear Focus
GettyJuice Scruggs #70
Ratledge has mostly been discussed as an emergency option. Even Campbell understands that means sliding a lot around. However, going to Ratledge as the second option over McLaughlin, while highlighting how experienced Scruggs is, might tell you that Scruggs is going to win the job unless he flat-out loses it.
As Campbell mentioned, the team added him in the Montgomery trade, and he was not just a throw-in. Scruggs has 1,661 career snaps in the NFL, with 568 coming at center.
He has 20 career starts in the NFL, with eight coming at guard. He has the experience that McLaughlin does not.
Seth McLaughlin is Fading from Center Competition
McLaughlin started in the preseason opener because Scruggs was out. Campbell praised him, and he received national attention for his start as well. However, this is still a UDFA who was on the Cincinnati Bengals‘ practice squad last year.
As Campbell noted, he has a smaller build as well, which will make things tough for him. The Lions appear to be happy that they learned that he can be a depth option if needed. However, with Mahogany, Bartch, and Frazier all being in the mix, along with Scruggs and Ratledge, the Lions have at least five interior offensive linemen making the roster over McLaughlin.
With at least three tackles making it, they have eight players locked in over the second-year center. So, McLaughlin went from a practice squad option to a starting option and right back to likely not making the roster in the span of one week. Unless Campbell forgot about him in the discussion, it appears all eyes are on Scruggs.
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