Lions will have both their rookie guards take practice reps at center

The Lions used two of their seven draft picks on guards, taking Tate Ratledge in the second round and Miles Frazier in the fifth. Neither has ever played center. In Detroit, one or both of them might.

Lions GM Brad Holmes said offensive line coach Hank Fraley will try both rookie guards out at center and see if they have potential there.

"Hank, he'll cross-train all those guys," Holmes said, via DetroitLions.com. "So, if they've only been at guard, he's going to put a ball between their legs and see if they can snap. But again, Hank's not going to put somebody in a tough position either, so he's going to be able to assess if they have the right makeup and mentality and communicative skills. That's a big part of just — it's not about just being able to snap, I mean, you have to have elite communication skills, not just as a starter, but even as a backup."

The Lions aren't looking to replace the center they have in Frank Ragnow, but it never hurts to develop depth at any position. And both Ratledge and Frazier said they're open to playing center or tackle instead of guard if that's what the team needs them to do. Ratledge and Frazier will most likely be competing with each other for the starting job at right guard, but it's possible that both rookies could be on the field together if the Lions' line proves to have other needs.