The Detroit Lions have built the foundation of a contender through the draft. It started when the Lions mined Penei Sewell, Levi Onwuzurike, Alim McNeil, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Derrick Barnes out of the 2021 draft. They continued when they took Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, Kerby Joseph and Malcom Rodriguez in 2022 and found Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam Laporta and Brian Branch in 2023.
This haul shows that general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have a strong track record at finding and developing talent. But no team ever bats 1.000 in the draft. A recent draft pick has been able to hold onto his roster spot after he was taken late in 2023, but the Lions' moves this offseason could have him looking for work by the end of the month.
Lions Could Say Goodbye to Colby Sorsdal After OTAs
Colby Sorsdal was a fifth-round pick for the Lions in the 2023 draft and the William & Mary offensive tackle was seen as a project. Sorsdal became a utility lineman shortly after arriving in Detroit and moved to guard after making his NFL debut at tackle early in his rookie season.
The early returns were not good. Sorsdal posted a 41.8 overall grade and a 35.1 pass blocking grade in 253 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He was also called for two penalties (with one declined) and allowed 14 pressures and a sack on 132 pass-blocking snaps for a 10.6% pressure rate.
A season like this doesn’t bode well for a fifth-round pick. But Sorsdal felt optimistic during his second season. He focused on getting better across the offensive line and offensive line coach Hank Fraley told The Detroit Free Press’s Dave Birkett that he felt Sorsdal “definitely [has] taken the next step forward” with his development during last year’s OTAs.
The Lions remained healthy in the trenches last season to limit Sorsdal’s opportunities but he couldn’t crack the gameday roster, appearing in one game all season. To make matters worse, Sorsdal’s only action was five special teams snaps and the Lions sent a message by taking Georgia’s Tate Ratledge and LSU’s Miles Frazier in this year’s NFL Draft.
Sorsdal’s versatility suggests he could focus more at tackle this year but it’s not a good sign when both guards have started cross-training across the offensive line. Their arrival wipes out an opportunity where Sorsdal could have taken over for departed Kevin Zeitler and puts him third on the right tackle depth chart behind Sewell and Dan Skipper.
Perhaps the Lions will look at Giovanni Manu as a cut to keep Sorsdal on the roster. But it doesn’t seem likely as Detroit invested a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft and discussed moving him to guard this season. It doesn’t spell good things for Sorsdal and could leave him as a shocking release when OTAs conclude.