Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked before Sunday's first practice of training camp if there was a position group that he was focusing on.
"My eyes are on the O-Line," Campbell said. "We've got to sort this O-Line out, it's an open competition right now and that's going to be important this camp is we've got to find some guys that we know we can count on, they're going to win the job, they're going to be guys we can rely on."
The Lions lost All-Pro center Frank Ragnow to retirement this offseason and last year's starting right guard, Kevin Zeitler, left in free agency. It's been some time since the Lions had more than one open starting spot available along their offensive line.
"So, we have two or three more spots there for guys to step up and help us," Campbell said. "And once that happens, then mesh. The guys that we know we can trust, this is where they're going to play and then getting whoever those five are together to where they start working together and start trusting each other."
The leaders heading into camp to land the three starting jobs along the interior of Detroit's offensive line are Graham Glasgow, Christian Mahogany and rookie second-round pick Tate Ratledge.
Ratledge took first-team reps at center during Sunday's practice and that's dated back to the spring when he was lining up at both center and guard during OTAs.
Glasgow also took some reps at center and right guard Sunday. He's played his best football in the past at right guard but moved to left guard to accommodate Zeitler last season. He's back on the right side to start camp.
Mahogany played pretty well when given an opportunity to start and play last season and he's slotted in at left guard to start camp. Heading into his second season, Mahogany said Sunday he's in a good place and looking forward to the competition upfront in camp.
"Everything good comes with time," Mahogany said. "Last year's O-line, that took time. We've got myself and Tate and people at different positions. Some new guys. I think it'll be good. We have a standard here and the standard has not dropped.
"Coach Campbell believes that and coach (Hank) Fraley believes that the standard has not dropped just because there's new people starting. There's a lot of opportunities. Every day is a competition. I feel like every day the eyes in the sky don't lie. Every day the film is on and it's competition at the end of the day."
RECOGNIZE, COMMUNICATE, EXECUTE
Those are the three things new offensive coordinator John Morton has made an emphasis as he takes over play calling duties in Detroit as their new offensive coordinator.
Morton inherits an offense that scored 70 touchdowns – the fourth most in a single season in NFL history – and led the NFL averaging 33.2 points per game and recording a plus-222 point differential.
The Lions return their quarterback and all their main skill weapons from last year's record-setting offense.
"Johnny (Morton) talks all the time about RCE (recognize, communicate, and execute). That's big. That's big for us as coaches, that's big for the players, too," Campbell said.
Morton is very detail-orientated, according to Campbell, and there were a number of big plays in both the passing game and run game recorded by Detroit's offense Sunday in the first unpadded practice of training camp. He seeks a lot of input from fellow coaches and the players, and everyone really seems to be buying into what he and Campbell are building offensively.
View photos of players arriving for 2025 Detroit Lions training camp.
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (39) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (6) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (9) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Giovanni Manu (59) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (61) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Marcus Davenport (92) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Christian Mahogany (73) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Roy Lopez (51) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (28) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Loren Strickland (24) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) arrives at the Meijer Performance Center on July 19, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
RAKESTRAW INJURY
Second-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. left Sunday's practice and did not return. He is being evaluated for a chest injury. Campbell will likely update his status moving forward in the coming days.
