The Detroit Lions training camp battle at center appears to be just picking up steam with a couple of weeks to go until the regular season. When Cade Mays went down with a wrist injury that would sideline him for most of the season, the team gave former UDFA Seth McLaughlin the first chance to step into the role.
However, after the team’s first preseason game, they decided to mix some things up. Second-year right guard Tate Ratledge shifted over to center. Then, Christian Mahogany, who has been competing at left guard, moved to the right side. This allowed Ben Bartch to step in and get work with the first team at left guard.
#Lions OL Tate Ratledge took a healthy majority of the first-team snaps at center today. Juice Scruggs also got some work there at the beginning of practice, but it was mostly Ratledge at C, Ben Bartch at LG and Christian Mahogany at RG.
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) August 16, 2026
Later, Detroit tried offseason addition Juice Scruggs at center. They pushed Ratledge back to right guard and had Mahogany back on the left side.
Detroit only wanted to ease Scruggs and Bartch into team drills, as they have been coming back from injuries. So, it worked to shift these two out in the differing rotations.
Overall, McLaughlin ended up playing zero snaps with the second team. This does not mean he is out of the mix, but it does show that he has not locked the job down by any stretch.
Detroit Lions Center Competition is Wide Open
GettyIsaac TeSlaa Tate Ratledge
McLaughlin got the start in the Lions preseason opener, and by all accounts, he looked good. Still, he is an unknown player who was unlikely to make the roster a couple of weeks ago. A handful of snaps in a preseason contest was not going to change everything.
Especially when Scruggs has nearly 600 career snaps at center. However, those snaps came back in 2024. Still, Scruggs was banged up when the Mays’ new officially broke. Now that he is back, there is a real chance that he will continue to push McLaughlin and potentially take the job.
For Ratledge, this appears to be more about the team ensuring they cover their bases to put the best five on the field. Campbell noted they might do it to get a look. We will see if he continues to get chances there.
Lions Have Three Positions With Competitions
The Lions offensive line was supposed to be one of the reasons for excitement coming off of a 9-8 season. However, now three and potentially four positions are in flux. Left tackle is locked down, but Penei Sewell is switching sides.
Blake Miller appears to have a grasp of the starting right tackle job, but this is still a rookie. Left guard was always expected to be a competition. However, now with the injury at center, the team is shuffling its right guard situation as well.
It makes sense for Campbell to try all options at right guard, but at the same time, the team is now a couple of weeks away from the regular season. There is going to be a time when they need to focus on continuity. We will see how well Campbell can blend those two lines, as things continue to shift for the team upfront.
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