With a need on the offensive line, the Lions stood pat at the trade deadline. Their addition could eventually be Miles Frazier, who practiced Wednesday for the first time this season and said he "didn't miss a beat."
"I’ll be ready when my number’s called," Frazier said, "whatever role that is, whether that’s guard, tackle, center -- never played it but I could -- jumbo tight end, wherever they need me, I’ll be ready."
The Lions have opened the practice window of the rookie offensive lineman, who's been sidelined since injuring his knee this spring. They have three weeks to add him to the active roster. As far as gaining the confidence to play on Sundays, "just one or two weeks for me," said Frazier. "But it’s whatever they say."
In reality, it will take him longer than that to earn a role on game day. Think sometime in December before he's in the running for significant snaps. But Frazier's return to practice is a big deal for an offensive line that just lost left guard Christian Mahogany until at least late December to a leg injury and saw left tackle Taylor Decker add a knee injury to his shoulder injury in the Lions' loss to the Vikings.
Frazier, a fifth-round pick of the Lions, played everywhere on the O-line but center in college, predominantly right guard his final two seasons at LSU. He practiced Wednesday at both guard spots and right tackle. He considers his versatility "a big asset," as do the Lions.
"He can sustain blocks, he’s got power, he’s tenacious, he finishes," Dan Campbell said Wednesday. "He was kind of the guy (at LSU) that you look around and you’re like, ‘This guy just always makes blocks. He’s just always on his guy and just always finishing down the field.' And if he does get beat, it’s never fast. (The opponent) has to try to freaking bull him, finally get an edge, quarterback’s holding onto the ball and it’s a late (pressure). Those are the things you want to see, man. He takes good angles at the second level. So there’s a lot of things we like about him. He’s just going to need reps."
About a year ago at this time, Mahogany was in a similar spot. The Lions had just activated him after he missed all of training camp and the start of the season with mono, with hopes of using him down the stretch. Mahogany, a sixth-round pick, debuted in late November on special teams and eventually started at left guard in place of the injured Graham Glasgow in the Lions' Week 16 win over the Bears and then at right guard in place of the injured Kevin Zeitler in their playoff loss to the Commanders. He played well in both games.
Frazier and Mahogany have grown tight this season as two offensive linemen from New Jersey. Frazier said that Mahogany told him in the locker room last week, "Be ready, you never know when your number’s going to be called." A few days later, Mahogany went down. When Frazier went to check on him after the Lions' loss, Mahogany said, "See?’ It’s a quick turnaround."
"It gives me a lot of motivation," Frazier said, "because me and Christian are very close."
Campbell and the Lions will start by turning to reserve Kayode Awosika as the replacement for Mahogany, while also considering reshuffling some of the pieces up front. Frazier, again, will need time to enter the picture. But he could give the Lions a boost when he does. He was one of the elite pass-blocking guards in the country at LSU, where he allowed one sack and two quarterback hits over his final two seasons, per PFF.
The Lions' pass-protection has wilted of late, with Jared Goff having been sacked nine times in the last two games. He's facing the highest sack rate of his career since his rookie season.
Frazier, Campbell said, "will be a little bit of a baby fawn" out of the gate "and then he'll quickly go -- a little bit like Mahogany. It took a while but once we got him (back), he just quickly grew with practice reps."
"Whatever opportunity comes, wherever they need me," said Frazier, "my versatility speaks for itself."