Moves continue ahead of the upcoming 2026 season. That is why the Detroit Lions are looking to leave behind the disastrous year they had in 2025. The entire team fell into mediocrity after having a truly spectacular 2024 campaign.
That is why, during this free agency period, they continue making interesting moves, in this case for their offense. The Lions have just acquired offensive lineman Ben Bartch. The player comes from having played with the San Francisco 49ers from 2023 through 2025.
Before playing for the Bay Area team, he spent his early years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, starting in 2020. The guard, who can play on either the left or right side, has started 24 games, showcasing his versatility.
However, in 2025, injuries took a toll on his season. An ankle injury limited him to just six games. He is not the only addition to the team, as they have also brought in:
- Cade Mays
- Juice Scruggs
- Larry Borom
This comes after Taylor Decker requested his departure from the team. As a result, the front office decided to grant his release. They were already aware that he wanted to leave and honored his request.
The projected starters on the offensive line at guard are expected to be Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge. Miles Frazier will also have opportunities to be part of the team’s rotation.
The departure of David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions
In a recent appearance by general manager Brad Holmes on the Lions Collective podcast, he explained the decision made by the team to trade him to the Houston Texans.
It was pretty it was evident that there were less touches that he had last season. And look, a lot of it is not just him. It’s how Jahmyr (Gibbs) has ascended,.”…”So me and David’s agent, we all had, and David, we all had really healthy dialogue. We just kind of thought it was best for all parties. It was right after the end of the season that we decided, let’s just see if we can get the proper return.
I told his agent, ‘Look, this guy’s a good player, man. Like, we’re not just giving him away, you know.’ So we were happy with the return that we got. I’m happy for David, but I think he’s in a good spot,” Holmes added. “But that’s going to be not only a loss of just the player, but he was such an impact on our locker room from a leadership standpoint, our culture. It was all healthy dialogue. There was never any bad blood or anything. And I think it worked out well for both parties.
Now the Lions continue their rebuilding process in order to return to the top tier they dramatically fell from in 2025.
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