The Detroit Lions have a lot of things to fix this offseason and not a lot of money to do it. According to Over The Cap, the Lions need to shed $10.3 million of salary to get under the cap for next season, while juggling extensions for their 2023 draft class including Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Jack Campbell.

This means that if the Lions are to improve, they’ll need some internal contributions. At no place is that more prevalent than along the offensive line. While an offensive tackle is the leader in the clubhouse for Detroit’s first-round pick, they’ll still need help on the interior, in particular from second-year guard Miles Frazier.

Considered a steal when the Lions selected him in the fifth round of last year’s draft, Frazier’s rookie season was derailed immediately when he suffered a knee injury during the offseason program. When he returned in November, he was ineffective, posting a 26.4 overall grade allowing five quarterback pressures on 26 snaps according to Pro Football Focus.

That performance could put Frazier on the roster bubble, but there are several reasons why 2026 could be a new beginning for him.

Miles Frazier Could Be Wild Card for Lions’ Offensive Line in 2026

Part of the reason the Lions were drawn to Frazier in the draft is his performance in pass protection. Playing right guard at LSU, opposing pass-rushers rarely got to the quarterback on Frazier’s watch as he allowed 13 pressures and no sacks on 545 pass-blocking snaps in his final collegiate season. According to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Frazier also had starting potential, but had limitations due to his athleticism.

Still, Frazier posted a 9.33 relative athletic score (RAS) at last year’s combine and had the look of a mauler that could clear the way for Detroit’s physical attack. While Frazier ran more zone schemes during his time at LSU, he also had 109 snaps in gap schemes which could help him as he transitions to Drew Petzing’s gap heavy scheme.

But the bigger case for a Frazier rebound involves a chance to go back to his natural position. Tate Ratledge manned the right guard spot during his rookie season, but there were rumors he could eventually take over at center. Speaking in December, Campbell admitted that it’s still a possibility.

“We felt like he could be a center and that’s still not off the table,” Campbell said via Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. “We watched [Ratledge] at guard; he played right guard in college. He’s a good athlete, he’s a big man, he can move. So, we’ll find out.”

While Bianchi admitted that “there’s a pretty small chance” Ratledge moves to center, he also noted the Lions were high on left guard Christian Mahogany and “were encouraged by what they saw in limited reps” from Frazier. That would mean a position switch for Ratledge could unlock the Lions’ optimal lineup in the middle of the offensive line and give Frazier an opportunity during the offseason program.

The other evidence is that Frazier will be entering the offseason program completely recovered from his knee injury. While his athleticism may have been an issue on tape, it could have been a bigger one as he managed the pain, giving him a chance at showing his true potential with a healthy offseason under his belt.

Overall, Frazier could be a wild card for an offensive line looking for help. As a cost-effective solution, he could be worth giving an extended look this offseason and possibly a chance for a bigger rebound in 2026.