Few starting spots up for grabs on Detroit Lions projected 2019 depth chart

When the Detroit Lions opened training camp Thursday, they had only a handful of starting spots up for grabs.

On offense, the Lions have 10 of 11 starters in place (no matter if you consider them a three-receiver or two-tight-end base offense), with the only uncertainty at left guard. Kenny Wiggins took most of the first-team repetitions at the position this spring, but he’ll have to hold off camp challenges from Oday Aboushi and Joe Dahl to keep the job into the season.

Wiggins started 10 games at right guard last year, but the Lions are juggling personnel on their line. Frank Ragnow, who announced his engagement on Instagram over the weekend, is moving to center in his second NFL season, and Graham Glasgow, who played all but one snap at center last year, is moving to right guard.

There’s not much mystery about who’ll be where on defense, either, though the Lions’ ever-changing scheme leaves a little more room for interpretation.

The Lions have essentially five starting defensive linemen in Trey Flowers, Damon Harrison, Mike Daniels, Da’Shawn Hand and A’Shawn Robinson, though only three will be on the field most downs. Rookie second-round pick Jahlani Tavai, likewise, is expected to play a rotational role at linebacker, though the Lions return all three of their starters at the position.

In the secondary, Justin Coleman should be the Lions’ No. 2 cornerback considering the money they spent on him this offseason, but because at least five defensive backs will be on the field the vast majority of the time, he’s listed as a slot cornerback here.

Perhaps the biggest question heading into training camp is on special teams, where Jamal Agnew has been a difference-making return man in the past but will have to affirm his roster spot in the secondary before he locks up the job.

Here is a pre-training camp look at the Lions’ projected depth chart:

[ Lions will have NFL's worst record in 2019, USA TODAY writer says ]

Offense

QB: Matthew Stafford, Tom Savage    

RB: Kerryon Johnson, C.J. Anderson

WR: Kenny Golladay, Andy Jones

WR: Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola

TE: T.J. Hockenson, Isaac Nauta

TE: Jesse James, Logan Thomas

LT: Taylor Decker, Andrew Donnal

LG: Kenny Wiggins, Oday Aboushi

C: Frank Ragnow, Leo Koloamatangi

RG: Graham Glasgow, Joe Dahl

RT: Rick Wagner, Tyrell Crosby

Defense

DE: Trey Flowers, Romeo Okwara

DT: Damon Harrison, A’Shawn Robinson

DL: Mike Daniels, Da’Shawn Hand

LB: Devon Kennard, Jahlani Tavai

LB: Jarrad Davis, Jalen Reeves-Maybin

LB: Christian Jones, Steve Longa

CB: Darius Slay, Marcus Cooper

CB: Rashaan Melvin, Amani Oruwariye

N: Justin Coleman, Jamal Agnew

S: Quandre Diggs, Tavon Wilson

S: Tracy Walker, Will Harris

Special teams

K: Matt Prater

P: Sam Martin

LS: Don Muhlbach

KR: Jamal Agnew

PR: Jamal Agnew

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Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Read more on the Detroit Lions and sign up for our Lions newsletter.