Tag: Christian Mahogany

Christian Mahogany makes Lions ‘comfortable’ if called upon vs Bears

Rookie OG Christian Mahogany makes Lions ‘comfortable’ if called upon vs Bears due to an injury to Graham Glasgow

There could be a change in the starting offensive line for the Detroit Lions this week. Left guard Graham Glasgow is questionable for Sunday’s matchup in Chicago against the Bears with a knee injury, one that clearly inhibited his play in the Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The next man up at left guard would be rookie Christian Mahogany. Despite his inexperience–Mahogany has played just three snaps on offense in 2024–the Lions and head coach Dan Campbell feel confident and comfortable with the idea of playing Mahogany against Chicago.

“Yeah, comfortable,” Campbell said of Mahogany. “I would say we’re working he and (Kayode Awosika) Yode on both of those and working both sides, and (Michael) Niese has worked a little bit of right guard for us, too. But those two we’re really comfortable with.”

Mahogany has battled a tough road to this point. He missed almost the entire offseason ill with mono, missing valuable practice and teaching time. It’s cooled some of the buzz for the sixth-rounder from Boston College. Yet this could also be a grand opportunity for a player with considerable promise and long-term starting potential to prove himself.

Don’t bet against Mahogany. As noted in his pre-draft evaluation, he’s a perfect schematic and culture fit for the Lions offensive line. Here’s what I wrote in March about Mahogany:

 Mahogany is a guard whose game would have fit nicely back in the 1970s and 80s with his power-based, aggressive style. He’s wide, powerful and plays angry, capable of starting at either OG spot but projecting better on the right side. Mahogany’s lack of foot speed or twitchy movement skills makes him a better fit for a gap-based scheme like the one the Lions run. There will always be concerns about his ability to handle quickness on the interior, but Mahogany’s consistent anchor in pass pro and dominating power in the run game should hold considerable appeal for the Lions. He projects as a 3rd/4th round pick, but Mahogany is a top-50 overall talent on my board. 

It will be interesting to see if the Lions continue their upswing in zone-blocking concepts if Mahogany is thrust into the lineup. As is the case with Glasgow, that’s not where the rookie is at his best. The Bears defensive front has fallen off considerably even since the first meeting between the two teams on Thanksgiving, making this a great chance for Mahogany to shine if called upon.

2 Lions fined for plays during the Week 14 win over the Packers

2 Lions fined for plays during the Week 14 win over the Packers, including rookie OL Christian Mahogany in his first offensive action

A pair of Detroit Lions were fined by the NFL for plays during last Thursday’s home win over the rival Green Bay Packers. Interestingly, neither fine resulted from a play that was penalized during the game.

Defensive end Za’Darius Smith and rookie offensive guard Christian Mahogany were the fined parties. Mahogany got dinged just over $4,600 for grabbing a facemask on one of his three offensive snaps in the game, his NFL debut on offense.

Smith picked up a fine of $6,722 for a hit on Packers QB Jordan Love’s head after he threw the ball. As with Mahogany’s infraction, no flag was thrown on the play. No Packers were fined for any actions during the game, which Detroit won 34-31 to improve to 12-1.

 

Snap count notes: Lions were all hands on deck in win over Packers

The Detroit Lions relied heavily on newcomers and depth in the Week 14 win over the Green Bay Packers, who flashed depth of their own

In Thursday night’s 34-31 win over the visiting Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions required all hands on deck on defense. With injuries running rampant, every healthy body was thrown into the action for Detroit.

The most glaring note from the snap counts for the Lions and Packers is this: Green Bay ran just 50 offensive plays, but Aaron Glenn still had 17 different Lions defenders play at least 10 snaps.

Four Lions played all 50:
Kerby Joseph
Jack Campbell
Terrion Arnold
Carlton Davis

Pat O’Connor worked in 41 snaps on the line, while EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad saw action in 37. These were healthy scratches a month ago.

Tracking the newcomers to the Detroit defense:

DE Jonah Williams – 25
DT Brodric Martin – 23 (Martin had played just two all season prior to this game)
DE Myles Adams – 19
LB Kwon Alexander – 17
EDGE Mitchell Agude – 9 (practice squad elevation)
LB Jamal Adams – 8

Green Bay rolled through its own defensive depth, with an astonishing 20 different Packers players seeing at least 10 snaps. The Lions offense ran 80 plays against them, however.

The starting offensive line and QB Jared Goff played all 80, with the exception of right guard Kevin Zeitler. Rookie Christian Mahogany came in for three snaps that Zeitler missed while seeing treatment on the sidelines. They were the first three offensive snaps of Mahogany’s career.

No. 3 TE Shane Zylstra out-repped No. 4 WR Allen Robinson 16 to just five. No. 2 TE Brock Wright played 49 snaps, just four fewer than No. 3 WR (and star of the game) Tim Patrick.

At RB, Jahmyr Gibbs was on the field for 45, while David Montgomery saw 36. Simple match indicates that both were on the field for at least one snap together, which would be the first time all season that’s happened. Craig Reynolds played one snap, while rookie Sione Vaki only appeared on special teams.

Detroit did not use an extra OT in this game, which makes sense with regular No. 6 OL Dan Skipper playing at left tackle in place of an injured Taylor Decker.

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Lions inactives vs. Jaguars: Sam LaPorta out, 3 healthy scratches on the OL

Lions inactives vs. Jaguars: Sam LaPorta out, 3 healthy scratches on the OL in Week 11

The Detroit Lions released their inactive player list for the Week 11 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The biggest name was one that was already known, with tight end Sam LaPorta already ruled out with a shoulder injury.

LaPorta is the only player on the active roster out due to injury. Cornerback Carlton Davis broke his thumb during the week, but he’s active. So is left tackle Taylor Decker, who missed Week 10 with a shoulder/chest issue.

All the other inactive Lions are considered healthy scratches, with three of them coming along the offensive line:

OL Giovanni Manu
G Christian Mahogany
T Colby Sorsdal
S Loren Strickland
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad

Muhammad is inactive thanks to the addition of veteran Za’Darius Smith, who will make his Lions debut against the Jaguars.

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Christian Mahogany activated to the Lions 53-man roster

Christian Mahogany activated to the Lions 53-man roster after spending months on Detroit’s non-football illness list

The Detroit Lions have activated rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany from the non-football illness list. Mahogany is now on the Lions’ 53-man active roster and eligible to play immediately.

It’s been a long path for Mahogany, a sixth-round pick out of Boston College. The guard contracted mononucleosis over the summer and missed all of training camp and the first few weeks of the season. The Lions designated Mahogany for return three weeks ago, and the team had to either activate him this week or lose Mahogany for the rest of the season.

Mahogany has been an active participant in practices but wasn’t deemed ready to be active until today, an off day for Lions. Detroit had an opening on the roster, so no corollary move was required to add Mahogany.

Lions vs Titans: Final injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Titans: Final injury report medical analysis for both teams ahead of their Week 8 matchup

The NFC-leading Detroit Lions active roster is mostly in good health as they take on the Tennessee Titans. During the week, the Lions lost Jameson Williams due to suspension and Josh Paschal due to an illness. The Titans lost DeAndre Hopkins and Ernest Jones due to trades. They also got downgrades to T’Vondre Sweat and Jarvis Brownlee, but an upgrade to Calvin Ridley.

For the Lions, the loss of Williams is cushioned by the fact that all the other offensive weapons are healthy. Elite stars like 2nd-team All-Pro Sam LaPorta have yet to have a breakout game this year, so there is plenty left in the arsenal.

For the Titans, whose record is 1-5, it’s understandable if the focus of the team is already shifting towards next season. Long-time Lions fans are nodding our heads in empathy.

Dan Campbell in his Friday press conference made comments on multiple players which I will include below.

DETROIT LIONS

Josh Paschal DE (NP NP NP – Out) illness

Paschal gave a positive update about his illness today. Here is the full article by Benjamin Raven of MLive. 

Paschal was treated for malignant melanoma in 2018 which is life-threatening due to its potential to metastasize. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the current issue is related.

Skin screenings are something I recommend during routine health physicals of almost all ages as melanomas can occur in otherwise young, healthy people.

To help replace Paschal, Dan Campbell stated “we’ll use Isaiah Thomas”. The Lions signed this DE off the Bengals practice squad two weeks ago, so one of the newest members of the team might see his first action vs the Titans.

Christian Mahogany OG (FP FP FP – Out) illness

Dan Campbell on Friday stated “he’s made strides every week”. Mahogany’s  mono illness should be long-resolved and the multi-week string of FP’s corroborates this.

His 21-day practice window is ending next week. If the Lions don’t put him on the roster at the end of his practice window, he is ineligible to return the rest of the year. It wouldn’t make sense for the Lions to have started his practice window this early in the season if they weren’t planning to put him on the roster. Thus, expect to see him on the roster on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Kevin Zeitler OG (FP FP FP – In) groin

Zeitler missed last game due to the groin, but he is ready to go on Sunday. The typically reliable Kayode Awosika had a rough game vs the Vikings so it’s good to get Zeitler back.

Taylor Decker OT (NP FP FP – In) rest

In the offseason, Decker had ankle/foot surgeries including a sesamoidectomy, bone spur removal, and deltoid ligament repair. This warrior played through all those issues last year. The sesamoidectomy and bone spurs can be signs of chronic issues that would benefit from regular rest days as he battles through them during a season.

Graham Glasgow OG (NP FP FP – In) rest

Glasgow had a minor knee issue in week two but has otherwise been healthy.

Frank Ragnow C (NP FP FP – In) rest

Ragnow is now 4.5 weeks removed from his left pec strain and has looked like his usual All-Pro self in the past two games.

Levi Onwuzurike DT (NP FP FP – In) rest

Onwuzurike had a minor right knee issue in week three but otherwise has been healthy this year. He does have a significant history of a remarkable recovery from an L5-S1 lumbar fusion in 2022.

NOTABLES

Jameson Williams

Williams is out due to a two-game suspension for stimulants or diuretics (masking agents). He’ll also miss next game vs the Packers but will be back vs the Texans on Sunday Night Football.

Ifeatu Melifonwu

On Friday, Dan Campbell said, “he’s better than when we put him on injured reserve… he’s progressed nicely”. Melifonwu hurt his ankle area around August 17 and has yet to play this season. There were some scattered reports that the injury might actually be an Achilles.

An Achilles tendonitis would explain the uncertain, longer-than-anticipated timeline for Melifonwu as neither player nor medical want to take any chances it could lead to an Achilles rupture. We are seeing a similar situation play out with Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to play this year due to bilateral Achilles tendonitis.

Melifonwu is eligible to return from IR next week vs the Packers.

 

TENNESSEE TITANS

Will Levis QB (LP LP LP – Questionable) right shoulder

Levis missed last game with a right AC joint sprain and reports strongly suggest he’s out against the Lions with Mason Rudolph making another start. His status may be more of a coach’s decision than a medical decision.

L’Jarius Snead CB (NP NP NP – Out) quad

Snead is a starting CB who missed last game and is out again this Sunday. This is a big loss for the Titans.

Jarvis Brownlee DB (UL UL LP – Questionable) ankle

This 5th-round rookie starting CB has played 100% of snaps the past two games. The Titans could be missing both starting CB’s if Brownlee can’t go.

Calvin Ridley WR (NP NP FP – IN) foot

This starting WR has 12 receptions for 183 yards on the year.

T’Vondre Sweat DT (UL LP NP- Questionable) hip

With an NP on Friday, he’s likely out. This 2nd-round rookie has played around 75% of snaps in every game this year so he could be a big loss.

Jerome Baker (UL NP LP – Questionable) rest

Baker joined the team this week in the Ernest Jones trade.

Tyjae Spears RB (LP LP LP – Questionable) hamstring

Spears has 33 carries for 114 yards this year.

Cedric Gray LB (FP FP FP – Out) shoulder

Gray is a 4th-round rookie who has yet to play this year due to injury.

Jaelyn Duncan OT (NP NP NP – Out) hamstring

Duncan plays limited snaps on offense.

NOTABLES

DeAndre Hopkins WR

Hopkins, who has 15 receptions for 173 yards this year, was traded this week for a pick.

Ernest Jones LB

This starting LB, who has played close to 100% of snaps this year, was traded this week to the Seahawks in exchange for Jerome Baker and a 4th-round pick.

Here’s the full report:

Lions vs Vikings: Final injury report and medical analysis

Lions vs Vikings: Final injury report and medical analysis via Dr. Liao

For the Lions, the active roster is mostly healthy, but there was a downgrade over the week in Kevin Zeitler.

The Vikings look to be missing some important players, but they got upgrades over the course of the week in Harrison Phillips and Patrick Jones.

DETROIT LIONS

Carlton Davis, CB (NP NP FP – Questionable) quad

Davis left the game after getting a cleat to the head early in the 3rd quarter. I reviewed all his plays prior and didn’t see any signs of a quad issue which bodes well for this Sunday. Add in the Friday FP and he is likely to play with no limitations.

Kevin Zeitler, OG (NP LP NP – Questionable) groin

Zeitler hurt himself in practice this week and the Friday NP means he’s likely out for Sunday. Early signs are good though that this shouldn’t be anything long-term.

If Zeitler can’t go, there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off as Kayode Awosika has been a very solid OG backup the past two years.

Hopefully, Zeitler does not have a hip joint issue as that could be a long-term concern. More likely, it’s a mild hip flexor or hip adductor muscle strain which can cause groin pain.

Brian Branch, S (LP FP FP – IN) knee

Branch landed hard on his knee during his interception return early in the 4th quarter. He played the first two plays of the next drive without obvious issues, but then was replaced by Brandon Joseph the rest of garbage time. The 2x FP is reassuring that there is no ligament/cartilage damage and more likely is just a benign contusion.

Dan Skipper, OT (NP FP FP – IN) ribs

Skipper hurt his right lower ribs in game three vs the Cardinals but hasn’t missed a game. He was wearing a visible protective pad on that right side during the Cowboys game which means the rib isn’t fully healed yet.

He will play vs the Vikings as he hopes to bounce back from his zero-catch performance.

Frank Ragnow, C (NP FP FP – IN) rest

Good to see that Ragnow’s pec is not on the report. He strained his left pec 3.5 weeks ago and the Cowboys game was his first game back.

Christian Mahogany, OG (FP FP FP – OUT) illness

After a bout of mono starting in July, this 6th-round rookie started practicing again on Tuesday October 8. From a physical standpoint, the mono likely has not been an issue for about two months. Because the Lions don’t need him now, I expect him to max out the full 21-day practice window and be put on the roster around October 29.

NOTABLES

Aidan Hutchinson was placed on IR with a left tib/fib fracture. Expect him back in limited fashion for the Super Bowl.

Kyle Peko was placed on IR with left pec surgery. He is out for the year.

Brodric Martin, who had a right knee hyperextension on August 24, has not started his 21-day practice window yet. Hopefully, that will happen next week.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Blake Cashman, LB (NP NP NP – OUT) toe

A turf toe issue will keep this important LB out. He had played 100% of snaps the past two games.

Aaron Jones, RB (NP LP LP – Questionable) hamstring

Jones hurt his leg two weeks ago. With an NP early and no FP’s, he’s likely out vs the Lions. The Vikings just traded for Cam Akers this week so expect to see him.

Harrison Phillips, DT (NP LP FP – Questionable) shoulder

This starting nose tackle would be a big loss in the middle, but the FP hints he’ll play.

Patrick Jones, DE (NP LP FP – Questionable) shoulder

Jones has five sacks on the year so his loss could be impactful, but the FP means he’s likely in.

TJ Hockenson, TE (LP LP LP – Questionable) knee

Hockenson reportedly won’t be ready to play this week coming off his ACL suffered against the Lions last year.

Akayleb Evans, CB (NP NP NP – OUT) hip

Evans is a special teamer who hasn’t played on defense in the past four games.

Dalton Risner, OG (LP LP LP – Questionable) back

Risner has yet to play this year due to injury. The lack of an FP means he’s likely still out.

The full report:

Lions injury update: Carlton Davis, Brian Branch among the wounded

Lions injury update: Carlton Davis, Brian Branch among the wounded to start out Week 7

The first practice status injury report from the Detroit Lions ahead of the Week 7 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings features four players who did not participate on Wednesday.

The good news is that two of the players sat as part of a veteran rest regimen. Offensive linemen Frank Ragnow (C) and Kevin Zeitler (RG) each took the day for personal rest. Both played throughout the Week 6 win in Dallas until the Lions pulled the starters late in the blowout victory.

Cornerback Carlton Davis (quad) and offensive lineman Dan Skipper (ribs) also did not participate in practice. Davis is not in the concussion protocol after being kicked in the helmetless head during Sunday’s game.

Safety Brian Branch, the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week, was limited with a knee issue.

Finally, offensive lineman Christian Mahogany was a full participant as he continued to effort an activation from the non-football injury list.

Lions vs Cowboys: Final injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Cowboys: Final injury report medical analysis for the Week 6 matchup in Dallas

It’s early in the week but the Lions look to have the health advantage heading into the Cowboys game. The Cowboys just recently lost three impact edge rushers in Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Marshawn Kneeland. Similarly but to a lesser caliber, the Lions lost two edge players recently in Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes.

The Cowboys also have had two players’ expectations downgraded over the course of the week in Eric Kendricks and DaRon Bland.

On the positive side, the Lions are returning a couple key players coming out of the bye in Frank Ragnow and Brian Branch, while the Cowboys are likely returning Caelen Carson.

DETROIT LIONS

A new listing popped up during the week with Kerby Joseph.

Kerby Joseph (UL LP FP – IN) hamstring, S

A hamstring strain in practice landed him on the Thursday report but won’t keep him out. Recall that Joseph also strained a hamstring before game 2 but did not miss the game.

Frank Ragnow (FP FP FP – IN) pec, C

After straining his left pec three weeks ago, he is ready to play vs the Cowboys with no concerns.

Brian Branch (FP FP FP – IN) illness, S

Branch missed one game after a concussion three weeks ago and an illness two weeks ago. He is more than ready to go now with no concerns.

Christian Mahogany (FP FP FP – OUT) illness, OG

After a bout of mono starting in July, this 6th-round rookie started practicing again on Tuesday October 8. From a physical standpoint, the mono likely has not been an issue for over 1.5 months and the 3x FP supports this. He will be inactive though since he is far behind mentally and there are many players ahead of him on the depth chart.

DALLAS COWBOYS

Downgrades in expectation over the week include DaRon Bland and Eric Kendricks.

With three of their top edge players out, the Cowboys will be relying on Chauncey Golston and Tyrus Wheat. Golston is a 4th-year player, who has five sacks in his career and picked up a half sack last game. Wheat is a 2nd-year player with 0.5 career sacks who got significantly more playing time last game.

Micah Parsons (NP NP NP – OUT) ankle, LB

This elite pass rusher will miss the Lions game due to a high ankle sprain.

Eric Kendricks (NP NP NP – OUT) calf/shoulder, LB

Kendricks played 100% of defensive snaps last game which makes his out designation a surprise. This could be a big loss in the middle of the defense. Lions fans are very familiar with Kendricks who played eight years in Minnesota.

DaRon Bland (FP FP NP – Questionable) foot, CB

This 1st-team All-Pro CB has been out the whole season due to a stress fracture in his 5th metatarsal but was expected to make a limited return this Sunday. However, an NP on Friday puts his return in doubt.

Bland’s injury is in the location of a Jones fracture which is a tricky injury due to the higher risk of malunion (non-healing bone) and refracture. The NP could indicate a setback of some kind.

Caelen Carson (FP FP FP – Questionable) shoulder, CB

Carson has been inactive the past two weeks but with 3x FP, I expect him to play on Sunday. He played 98% of defensive snaps three weeks ago so his return will boost the Cowboys secondary.

Nick Vigil (NP NP NP – Questionable) foot, ILB

Vigil has not played a defensive snap the last three games but plays regularly on special teams. Three NP suggests out.

Tyler Guyton (FP FP FP – IN) knee, LT

This 1st-round rookie starter exited the last game due to a left knee injury. The injury is reportedly minor and the 3x FP confirms this. He will start on Sunday. In case there is an aggravation, look for Tyler Smith to move from LG to LT and TJ Bass to insert at LG.

Trevon Diggs (FP NP FP – IN) ankle/illness, CB

Diggs played 100% of defensive snaps last week. A new issue popped up during the week but won’t keep him out.

Zack Martin (NP NP FP – IN) rest/back, OG

 

NOTABLES UNLISTED

Demarcus Lawrence DE, right foot Lisfranc – IR

This star DE is a big loss for the Cowboys and may be out for multiple months.

Marshawn Kneeland DE, right knee meniscus – IR

This 2nd-round rookie who was filling in for the loss of Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence left the last game due to a torn lateral meniscus. He had arthroscopic surgery this week and is on IR.

Brandin Cooks WR, right knee infection – IR

A joint infection is a serious issue that requires IV antibiotics and drainage. The loss of Cooks may not have a significant impact as the Cowboys have a dangerous WR corps of CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin. The Lions secondary will be getting no breaks here.

Here is the full report:

Christian Mahogany practices, officially starting his return window clock

Mahogany has been out since June with an illness, but now his activation clock has officially started

There was a very welcome sight at the Detroit Lions practice session on Tuesday in Allen Park. For the first time since the team’s minicamp in June, rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany participated in practice.

Mahogany is still on Detroit’s non-football illness list after missing over two months with mononucleosis (mono), but he’s working his way back. The first practice is a first step, kicking off a 21-day activation window for Mahogany. The Lions now have 21 days from today, October 8th, to activate Mahogany onto the 53-man active roster. If they don’t activate him within that window, Mahogany will miss his entire rookie season.

It comes at a time when the Lions can use some depth reinforcements. All-Pro center Frank Ragnow missed the last game with a pectoral muscle injury, and his status remains uncertain for the coming game(s). Ragnow did practice on Tuesday in the portion open to the media, a good sign.

A sixth-rounder from Boston College, Mahogany was an excellent stylistic and schematic fit for the Lions offensive line. Detroit signed veteran Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler to a one-year contract in the offseason to help groom Mahogany for a larger role in 2025, though that has been derailed because of Mahogany’s debilitating illness.