Even after losing one of their starters in 2024, the Detroit Lions had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL once again thanks to veteran Kevin Zeitler being a seamless fit following his being acquired in free agency.
Zeitler played in 16 of 17 games for the Lions and gave up five sacks and 18 total pressures. He posted elite overall (86.5) and run-blocking grades (87.2), and had a respectable pass-blocking grade (70.7), according to Pro Football Focus.
Unfortunately, the Lions were unable to retain Zeitler this offseason, as he inked a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans. Now, the Lions need a replacement, which could come in the form of 2024 sixth-round pick, Christian Mahogany, who flashed in a small sample size last season.
However, if the Lions want a more experienced option ahead of another season in which the team has legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, Mike Luciano of SideLion Report suggests Detroit make a play for young Los Angeles Chargers guard, Zion Johnson. Here’s the proposal and Luciano’s thoughts on it.
- Lions receive: Zion Johnson
- Chargers receive: 2025 fourth-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick
“The Chargers signed Mekhi Becton and Andre James in free agency, which could be a tell that they are hesitant to give Johnson a big long-term contract,” Luciano wrote. “Johnson hasn’t played like a guard who was picked No. 17 overall, but he can be a reliable starter for a Lions team that might not be willing to spend some of their draft capital on a guard,”
As Luciano notes, Johnson has been a disappointment during his career and hasn’t lived up to his draft billing. However, he’s still a serviceable starter who can fill the void for Detroit in the short term. In 2024, Johnson surrendered five sacks and 33 total pressures, and he finished with decent PFF grades of 64.8 in run-blocking and 63.6 in pass-blocking.
Barring the Chargers picking up his fifth-year option, which seems unlikely given the fact that it would cost about $17.5 million, Johnson is entering the final year of his $14 million rookie contract, which means he may just be a rental. We simply don’t see Lions general manager Brad Holmes giving up draft capital for a player who isn’t a clear upgrade and may not be around for more than a year.
Instead, we’d expect to see Detroit roll with the guys they have in-house already, like Christian Mahogany and Kayode Awosika, and pick up another guard in the draft.
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