The Detroit Lions had a disappointing 2025 season, and a big reason was their offensive line. A strength of the team since Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes arrived in 2021, the Lions were weakened in the trenches in part by Kevin Zeitler’s departure in free agency and Frank Ragnow’s sudden retirement.
Detroit could see another offensive line overhaul this offseason as Taylor Decker is contemplating retirement, and Graham Glasgow is a cut candidate. If either move comes to fruition, it could throw Giovanni Manu into the deep end as a starter.
Over the last two years, Manu hasn’t done much to indicate he’s ready for that promotion. Unfortunately, it may be too late to change the Lions' minds as they move forward with their offseason plan to fix the offensive line.
Giovanni Manu Has Run Out of Time with Lions
A fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft, Manu has been known more for missing reps than taking them. He failed to appear in a game during his rookie season, and while he made his first career start in a Week 5 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, he injured his knee and missed the rest of the season.
“I think for Gio, he needs reps,” Campbell said via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press last December. “Practice reps, get out there against our defense…in real-time practice. It’s not a ton of them, and it’s not like training camp. But God, he just needs reps, man.”
Even when Manu got into a game, he didn’t look like a player ready to contribute. According to Pro Football Focus, Manu allowed a pair of sacks on 28 pass-blocking snaps, earning a 42.2 overall grade on 62 snaps.
Some of this should have been expected. Manu was an international prospect selected from the University of British Columbia, giving him a steep learning curve entering the NFL. The injuries have also been a problem, as Manu may have looked better in reserve duty if he had consistent practice time.
But the Lions have a sense of urgency this offseason. Two years ago, Detroit was on the doorstep of the Super Bowl with a 24-7 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. Detroit went on to lose that game and squandered the No. 1 seed in the NFC the following year before missing the playoffs last season, representing three missed chances to come home with the franchise's first championship.
With this in mind, the Lions need to show some urgency this offseason to get over the hump. That means finding players who can contribute, and Manu has shown no evidence that he is one of those players. If Decker and Glasnow retire, the Lions likely aren’t willing to stick Manu at either position, leading them to search for an external replacement and potentially reaching the end of the road with their former draft pick.