Blake Miller could be Day 1 starter for Lions at OT, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. says

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes has long said he doesn't simply draft for need. Would it be nice for his team's holes to line up with the best players available? Of course.

But he won't select a prospect to merely fill a perceived vacancy on the depth chart. That strategy will be put to the test during the 2026 NFL Draft. The Lions aren't necessarily in dire straits at offensive tackle, but they can certainly use a replacement for Taylor Decker, who had his request for release granted earlier this month.

If the Lions were to play a game tomorrow, their starting OTs would be Penei Sewell and Larry Borom. Borom, a Michigan native who started 11 games for the Miami Dolphins last season, was given a one-year deal worth $5 million, making him tied with two others as the 48th-highest paid OT in the NFL, from the standpoint of average annual value, according to Over The Cap. His contract and career to this point (38 starts across five seasons) dictate he's a fringe starter who could be the answer opposite Sewell in 2026, though that's far from set in stone.

With most of the top free-agent options off the board, the Lions, if they do want to find another option aside from Borom, will presumably look toward the draft, ideally in the first round. Anything can change between now and mid April, but the pecking order at offensive tackle seems to be crystalizing. Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Spencer Fano (Utah) and Monroe Freeling (Georgia) make up what can be described as the near-consensus top tier.