With just under a month until free agency begins, the Detroit Lions are wondering how to fix their offensive line. General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell must identify which players could fit into their plans as the league year begins on March 11, but that becomes more difficult when they don’t know who will be holding the starting spots entering the 2026 season.
The biggest question comes at left tackle. Taylor Decker pondered retirement at the end of last season, and Giovanni Manu doesn’t look ready to contribute as he heads into his third year. The questions became even louder when Jeff Risdon of the Detroit Lions Podcast reported that NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah “dropped that the Lions have been sniffing hard around the free agent offensive tackles” during a conference call on Thursday.
Jeremiah’s hint should have Lions fans nervous, as this year’s offensive tackle class is considered to be weak. But it could lead them down the road of getting adequate competition for a rookie by signing Los Angeles Chargers guard Trey Pipkins.
Lions Left Tackle Plan Could Include Trey Pipkins If Taylor Decker Retires
Like many free agents along the offensive line, Pipkins has his warts. A third-round pick by the Chargers in the 2019 draft, Pipkins has played mainly tackle during his NFL career and was moved to right tackle after Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury during training camp. The move didn’t help the 29-year-old as he posted a 49.9 overall grade and allowed 30 pressures and four sacks on 396 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. But he could provide serviceable depth after playing left tackle during his rookie season in 2023.
While he’s been prone to allowing sacks with 31 allowed during his four-year career, his signing is unlikely to be the endpoint for the Lions' plans at left tackle. Even if Decker returns for an 11th season, the Lions will have to plan for the future, which could mean finding a left tackle in April’s draft.
Jeremiah added via Risdon that he is “a pretty big fan” of Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling going to the Lions with the 17th overall pick in the draft. The Athletic’s Colton Pouncey also mocked Freeling to Detroit in their first beat writer draft of the season, saying he “looks the part of a franchise tackle” and has fellow Bulldog alum Tate Ratledge already established as a starter on the offensive line.
Whether the Lions like Freeling or any of the other tackles in this year’s draft is debatable, but a rookie would benefit from someone helping bring him along while he competes for the job. In a perfect world, that would mean Decker serving as a veteran stopgap. But it could also lead to Pipkins, who has experience at both tackle positions and can fill in at guard.
With Spotrac estimating a $5 million market value for Pipkins, the Lions can sign him and allow him to compete for a starting role. If he falters, the Lions can use him as a top backup on a group that was ravaged by injuries last season.
It’s not the perfect free agent signing for Detroit. But teams usually have a reason for allowing offensive tackles to hit free agency. If the Lions are looking for competition and depth at left tackle, Pipkins would be a solid bet.