Detroit Lions: Ten Free Agents to target this offseason
By Bob Heyrman
OG Michael Schofield III
The Detroit Lions will need to plug someone in at right-guard after Graham Glasgow seeks employment elsewhere, or should I say, the Lions foolishly allow him to walk out the door.
The Lions recently signed former first-round pick Joshua Garnett who will compete for the starting RG position this summer along with Beau Benzschawel and perhaps Kenny Wiggins, who is a pending free agent. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Wiggins return to Detroit next year but not as a starter, a backup that has proved to be a versatile backup.
Michael Schofield is a former Michigan Wolverine that has yet to live up to his draft position. He was initially selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft with the 95th overall pick by the Denver Broncos. Schofield primarily played as a right-tackle with the Broncos performing respectably but nothing more than an average tackle compared to his peers.
After two seasons, Schofield found himself with the Chargers playing less than 400 snaps at right tackle in his first year and struggled mightily pass protecting. The Chargers decided to move Schofield to guard, and his blocking abilities drastically improved.
There is a big difference blocking speed rushers or bull-rushing NFL defensive ends than college athletes. Schofield is 6’6 and a touch over 300 pounds but has enough strength to stick as a guard and is agile enough to go going when he’s asked to, pulling around the corner and getting out in front of a running back as a lead blocker.
Schofield isn’t an upgrade to Glasgow; he’s not quite as polished. He struggles run blocking, something the entire Detroit Lions offensive line failed with last season.
That being said, Schofield produced the second-best blocking season of his career. PFF granted him a very respectable 76.9 pass-blocking grade but only a 50.3 overall as a run blocker. His cumulative grade of 63.6 isn’t great but good enough to bring in to compete for the starting job this summer.