Detroit Lions name Graham Glasgow starting RG after impressive start to season
Halapoulivaati Vaitai edged Graham Glasgow for the starting right guard job coming out of training camp, but Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Glasgow has played well enough to be the starter going forward.
"I think so. I think that’s fair," Campbell said Wednesday. "We’re always assessing Big V. And V’s still working at it, but certainly Graham has been productive for us and he has, he’s been productive at three different spots, left guard, center and certainly right guard before that."
Glasgow has been one of the Lions' most valuable linemen this year, making fill-in starts at three different positions while the Lions have navigated injury issues on their offensive front.
The former Michigan offensive lineman replaced an injured Vaitai at right guard in the second half of the Lions' Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, moved to left guard when Vaitai returned and Jonah Jackson was out with a high ankle sprain in Week 7, and played center a week later when Frank Ragnow was out with calf and toe injuries.
Vaitai has started just one of the Lions' past six games as he's struggled in his return from knee and back injuries, while Glasgow has been one of the Lions' best linemen this year despite moving positions.
AT LONG LAST: Detroit Lions OL healthy for the first time since Week 1: 'It's time to put on a show'
Glasgow has started six straight games for the Lions and ranks third among the team’s linemen in snaps played, behind Sewell and Ragnow.
"He's always been a very intelligent player and when they said that they were going to sign him back here I was excited cause we love him," left tackle Taylor Decker said after the Lions’ Week 8 win over the Raiders. "He’s one of my best friends, we get along, he meshes well with everybody in the O-line room. So it’s been fun having him here and he’s just doing whatever’s asked of him and playing really well on top of that. That’s huge value to have depth at the O-line position where he is a very good player. To be able to have him kind of do whatever we need him to do is pretty incredible."
A 2016 third-round pick by the Lions who spent the past three seasons with the Denver Broncos, Glasgow acknowledged after the Raiders game that changing positions was not ideal but that it was gratifying to be playing at such a high level after initially losing out on a starting job.
“This game is very humbling in a lot of ways so I think that it’s nice to have — everybody’s career has ups and downs, roller coaster, whatever, but it feels good to have some ups,” he said.
While Vaitai still could factor into the guard mix at some point this season, Campbell expressed confidence in Glasgow going forward.
“He’s been a big asset for us,” Campbell said. “That was a good signing for us to get and fortunate to have him. He’s a steady, reliable piece for us.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dan Campbell: Detroit Lions' Graham Glasgow has earned starting RG job
