There were plenty of disappointments for the Detroit Lions in 2025, but the biggest was the play of their offensive line. A group that defines the Lions’ physical brand of play, Detroit was punched in the gut when Frank Ragnow retired last June and never recovered as Christian Mahogany struggled in a starting role at left guard.
After a solid rookie season where he posted an overall grade of 91.5 according to Pro Football Focus, Mahogany struggled with poor performance and injuries in his first full season as a starter. But with the investments the Lions have made to fix their play in the trenches, Mahogany no longer has an excuse if his play doesn’t improve in 2026.
Christian Mahogany Must Take Advantage of Lions’ Offensive Line Overhaul
A sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft, Mahogany had an encouraging rookie year. In addition to his high PFF grade, he also allowed just four pressures and a sack on 78 pass blocking snaps and had a 91.1 blocking grade in the running game.
His performance allowed the Lions to let Kevin Zeitler leave for the Tennessee Titans in free agency, but he didn’t have the desired performance in 2025, watching his overall grade drop to 59.7 and allowing 27 pressures and six snaps on 391 pass-blocking snaps.
A left leg injury suffered in a Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings didn’t do Mahogany any favors and while he returned in Week 16, he wasn’t effective, allowing four sacks and 10 pressures over the final three games.
The performance is concerning and was a microcosm of Detroit’s offensive line last season. But it also convinced the Lions to make some key changes on the left side.
Penei Sewell is one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL but is now planned to move to the blindside after Taylor Decker was released. Having him to Mahogany’s left would be an upgrade over an aging player that played through a nagging shoulder injury last season and it gets even better with the addition of Cade Mays at center.
Like Sewell, Mays is strong in pass protection as he hasn’t allowed a sack since 2023. With both players surrounding Mahogany, it could help him if defenses attack him as the weak link and should help his performance improve as he looks for a rebound year.
Larry Borom’s arrival and another year for Tate Ratledge should also bring some better play on the right side of the line and the group should improve next year. But there’s also some risk as the Lions acquired Juice Scruggs, who could take over for Mahogany if his play does not improve.
If Mahogany plays well, he could be in for a long-term role and perhaps a contract extension as his rookie deal expires after the 2027 campaign. If not, the Lions will have to make other plans and potentially find Mahogany’s replacement next offseason.