Brad Holmes made it clear on Tuesday that the offensive line is a priority for the Lions this offseason.
They added another new name to the mix on Wednesday, signing 6'6, 315-pound guard Ben Bartch.
Bartch, 27, was the starting left guard for the 49ers entering last season but wound up missing most of the year after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 and a foot sprain in Week 13. A similar story played out in 2022 when Bartch began the season as the starting left guard for the Jaguars but lasted just five games before suffering a dislocated knee.
A fourth-round pick of the Jags in 2020 out of Division III Saint John's, Bartch was waived by Jacksonville midway through the 2023 season and picked up by the 49ers. He graded out well for San Francisco over a small sample of starts the last two seasons, with an ankle injury also ending his season prematurely in 2024.
Now he comes to Detroit as added depth for the Lions, who are looking at a training camp battle for the starting left guard spot. Bartch figures to be part of it, along with Christian Mahogany, Miles Frazier and Juice Scruggs.
