The Detroit Lions had no choice but to address their offensive line early in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Taylor Decker requesting his release after a contract impasse, they desperately needed blindside protection for Jared Goff.
Moving Penei Sewell back to the left side of the line was just the first step; they needed someone else to handle things on the right. They took Clemson standout Blake Miller with the No. 17 pick for that goal, but he wasn't the most NFL-ready guy in his class.
Miller has been a bit of a mixed bag and is still clearly figuring things out. And while it seemed that Larry Borom was his main competitor for the starting right tackle job, Josh Helmer of Lions Wire reported that Miles Frazier may have also joined the party.
Miles Frazier might compete with Blake Miller for the Lions' starting RT spot
"While Miller and Borom are the two primary contenders, one of the standouts on Sunday was second-year pro Miles Frazier. Frazier was spotted working at left tackle, left guard, right guard and right tackle. Coach Campbell said don't count Frazier out as a possibility at right tackle," Helmer wrote.
In reality, Borom was never expected to be much of a threat to Miller, at least not in the long run. He's a slightly above-average guy who might be better suited for a backup or rotational role rather than a full-time right tackle job.
That said, he would've been just a placeholder for the start of the season while Miller worked his way back to NFL-type shape. He's got to clean up his technique to handle the physicality of tougher and savvier pass-rushers, and Borom was not much more than a stopgap.
Now, Frazier's versatility might give him an upper hand over both of them. Of course, the Lions still have big plans for their former first-round pick, but having Frazier handle things at right tackle might give them the leeway to be more patient with his development and polish his technique.
Frazier wasn't much of a factor in his first season. A rookie out of LSU, he played just 46 snaps across five games, and he was far from a lights-out pass-blocker when given a chance. Now, he's back from a knee injury and looks like one of the biggest winners of the early days of training camp.
Moreover, his ability to line up at multiple positions should help him get on the field early and often, regardless of whether he does so in Miller's spot. Coach Campbell rewards hard work, and he's already caught his eye.
Not all rookies are ready to be thrown into the fire right out of the gate, and rushing them can only hurt their development. If the Lions don't think Miller is ready, keeping him on the sidelines might actually be the best way to help him grow.
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