There is no shortage of guard options in free agency, should the Detroit Lions opt to move on from Jonah Jackson and/or Graham Glasgow.
Our Detroit Lions free agency preview continues today with the guard position. As of right now, the Lions’ top three guards—Jonah Jackson, Graham Glasgow, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai—remain unsigned and headed toward free agency. It’s likely the Lions sign at least one of those guys back, but let’s explore free agency options if Detroit opts to move on from at least two of the three above.
Here are different tiers of free agent options for the Lions at the guard position.
Previously:
Top options
Rams Kevin Dotson — 27 years old
Estimated contract:
- Four years, $69M ($41M guaranteed), per PFF
- Four years, $66M, per Spotrac
If the Lions aren’t afraid to spend, but just don’t see Jonah Jackson as that guy, Dotson may be the top option—and he won’t come cheap. After three average seasons with the Steelers, Dotson came into his own in 2023 with the Rams, posting an 84.4 PFF grade. Perhaps most relevant to the Lions, Dotson’s 88.3 run blocking grade ranked second in the NFL.
Dolphins Robert Hunt — 27 years old
Estimated contract:
- Four years, $70M ($42M guaranteed), per PFF
- Four years, $47M, per Spotrac
The Dolphins are in a bit of a free agency bind, so they may not be able to afford Hunt, who finished 2023 allowing just one sack and one quarterback hit in 11 games. The former second-round pick started his career as the Dolphins’ right tackle but has been their starting right guard for the past three seasons. Here’s Miami general manager Chris Grier last week on Hunt’s upcoming free agency:
“He’s gone through a bunch of different coaching philosophies and styles of an offensive line, and I think Mike [McDaniel] and then Butch Barry this year coming in did a fantastic job,” Grier said. “Rob and all those offensive linemen worked tirelessly to improve and get better and buy into the scheme and so for us, like all of them, he’s earned the right to be a free agent.”
Patriots Mike Onwenu — 26 years old
- Four years, $58M ($33M guaranteed), per PFF
- Four years, $55M, per Spotrac
A former sixth-round pick, Onwenu had his breakout season in 2023. In his four NFL seasons, he’s taken significant snaps at both guard positions and right tackle. Onwenu finished 2023 by starting the final 11 games at right tackle for the Patriots, even though he had mostly been a guard for them. That kind of versatility would be welcomed in Detroit, but it also may drive up his price tag.
The former Wolverine has been a mauler in the run game his entire career, and as a tackle, he allowed just three sacks at right tackle last year.
Next tier options
Jaguars Ezra Cleveland — 25 years old
Estimated contract:
- Three years, $24M ($14M guaranteed), per PFF
- Four years, $53M, per Spotrac
Cleveland was inexplicably traded by the Vikings at the deadline last year after 3.5 years of above-average play. Fetching just a sixth-round pick for him, Vikings fans were very clearly upset about the move, even if the plan was to not pay him in free agency this year.
To their credit, though, Cleveland struggled when he landed with the Jaguars. After grading out to a 73.8 PFF grade in the first six games of the season in Minny, Cleveland finished with a 46.0 PFF grade in seven games with the Jags.
That said, Cleveland has always struggled as a pass protector. Most worrisome was his 2022 season, where he allowed 55 pressures, per PFF. For comparison’s sake, Jonah Jackson has never given up more than 35 in a season, and Graham Glasgow gave up 46 in 2023—but hadn’t previously allowed more than 30.
The contract projections are all over the place with Cleveland, but I tend to think he’ll get closer to PFF’s projection due to his struggles as a pass protector.
Seahawks Damien Lewis — 27 years old
Estimated contract:
- Four years, $38M ($17M guaranteed), per PFF
- Two years, $15M, per Spotrac
A third-round pick in 2022, Lewis has shown some modest improvement in each season, but he’s also coming off one of his worst seasons.
Primarily a left guard—but with experience in both spots—Lewis could slide right into Jackson’s position with 61 starts under his belt. He’s a stronger run blocker than pass protector, which feels almost like a lateral move from Jackson. But he’ll almost certainly command a lower price than the Lions’ Pro Bowl guard.
Ravens Kevin Zeitler — 34 years old
Estimated contract:
- Two years, $15M ($9.5M guaranteed), per PFF
If the Lions want to go the short-term veteran route, Zeitler is a fascinating option. Somehow, the 12-year veteran just got his first Pro Bowl nod last year with Baltimore after posting a 71.6 PFF grade.
Zeitler has been one of the most consistent guards in football over the past decade, and having played for four different teams, he’s seen every possible scheme known to man.
In my opinion, this would be an ideal signing for the Lions to have a patchwork solution at guard while seeking a young, cheap option in the draft. Only one problem: the Ravens want him back too.
More value options
Vikings Dalton Risner — 28 years old
Estimated contract:
- Three years, $16.5M ($10M guaranteed), per PFF
The Vikings signed Risner to a one-year, $2.6 million contract, and he rewarded them with solid play at left tackle—which was part of the reason Minnesota eventually traded Cleveland. His PFF grades aren’t exactly eye-popping—he earned a 61.1 grade in 2022 and 57.1 in 2023—but he didn’t allow a sack last year, and the Vikings’ offensive line was sneaky good last year, ranking 12th in adjusted line yards.
Packers Jon Runyan — 26 years old
Estimated contract:
- Three years, $20M ($10.5M guaranteed), per PFF
Sticking with poaching from a division rival, Runyan doesn’t exactly fit the mold of a Lions guard—as he excels far more as a pass protector than run blocker. He’s on the “smaller” size at 6-foot-4, 307 pounds, but he’s played both guard spots and has only missed a single game in the past three seasons.
Runyan liked his time in Green Bay, but it ended with two words that will send shivers down your spine: guard rotation. That’s right, in the last half of the 2023 season, Runyan started every game but saw his snaps split with 2022 third-round pick Sean Rhyan. If he wants a starting job in 2024, he may have to go elsewhere.
UPDATE: Runyan reportedly recently switched agencies, and has “mutual interest” in a return to Green Bay.
Packers starting RG Jon Runyan Jr. is set to be a UFA and switched his agent to Drew Rosenhaus. Per source, Rosenhaus met with Packers brass in Indianapolis and there is mutual interest in Runyan remaining a Packer. Would have to be right price for both sides, of course.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) March 5, 2024
Free agent Laken Tomlinson — 32 years old
Could a reunion be in the mix? After the Lions moved on from their 2015 first-round pick, Tomlinson went on to have five very successful seasons with the 49ers. However, the Jets then handed him a three-year, $40 million deal, and Tomlinson struggled in New York—earning PFF grades of 56.8 and 55.0 in 2022 and 2023, respectively—leading to his release earlier this offseason.
Has Tomlinson run out of gas, or was he just not a fit with the Jets? Detroit’s offense has a lot of similarities to Tomlinson’s most successful years in San Francisco, so this pairing is worth consideration.
Bargain bin
Ravens John Simpson — 26 years old
Estimated contract:
- Two years, $10.5M ($5.5M guaranteed), per PFF
Simpson didn’t work out as a fourth-round pick of the Raiders, but in his one season with the Ravens, the young offensive lineman started all 17 games at left guard and allowed just a single sack.
The Ravens drafted two late-round offensive linemen last year who could potentially take over Simpson’s starting job in 2024, which means Simpson could hit free agency. $5.5 million a year seems a little much for an inconsistent guard, though. If his price comes down, I could see Simpson as strong competition for camp who could win out a starting spot.
Raiders Greg Van Roten — 34 years old
Estimated contract:
- One year, $2.75M ($1.75M guaranteed), per PFF
Van Roten would be an excellent bargain bin signing for the Lions, as a player with 71 starts under his belt and someone who is a road grader in the run game. His 68.5 run blocking PFF grade ranked 16th among all guards.
Ultimately, I think he commands a slightly bigger deal than the one suggested above, but if Detroit is looking for a short-term solution, this is one of the more appealing options.
49ers Jon Feliciano — 32 years old
Estimated contract:
- One year, $2M ($2M guaranteed), per PFF
Another veteran with plenty (61 starts) of experience, Feliciano has played for three different teams in the past three seasons. He found a nice home in San Francisco last year, starting seven games for the 49ers, and earning an impressive 85.6 run blocking grade (fourth best). His nine-year career has seen more ups and downs than last year, but he would be a nice depth with starter potential.
Chiefs Nick Allegretti — 28 years old
Allegretti has been a long-time backup for the Chiefs, but as I mentioned in my Super Bowl free agency preview, the former Illini stepped into a starting role late in the season and held his own.
Word on the street is he’s looking for an opportunity to compete for a starting job, and the Lions could certainly offer that chance.
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