You never forget your first (transaction): Lions add offensive lineman Ike Boettger

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Allen Park — Part of this new publication is being more selective about what merits a headline. Throughout my career, I’ve dropped everything to write minor news.

When my firstborn was taking her first steps, I had to stop and look up from reporting a back-of-the-roster transaction. On a day-off road trip to visit a friend, I pulled to the side of the road, across from the nuclear plant in Oak Harbor, Ohio to churn out another item. I even penned something from my phone sitting on the staircase during Christmas Day at my wife’s family’s house while the kids opened presents.

I’ve always struggled knowing when to dial back, and I don’t remember what any of those stories were about. Big picture, they didn’t matter, certainly not as much as the other stuff I was ignoring. I’ve needed to learn the minor work stuff can wait or be reserved for a tweet.

But I’m putting that lesson on the shelf today because there will never be another Ike Boettger. The veteran offensive lineman is the first player the Lions have added to the roster since this morning’s launch of the site. And you never forget your first.

The addition is a continuation of Detroit's affinity for University of Iowa alumni. Boettger was a three-year starter at the school, prior to going undrafted in 2017. Since then, he’s bounced around a few stops, including two stints in Buffalo, which constitutes most of his pro career. He started 17 games for the Bills between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

In Detroit, he adds to the team’s already jam-packed depth chart along the interior of the offensive line. That collective is headlined by projected starters Graham Glasgow and Kevin Zeitler and supplemented by young depth pieces Kayode Awosika, Colby Sorsdal and rookie Christian Mahogany.

It’s a little early to say, but the move could suggest the Lions are intent on having Sorsdal play more tackle, where he saw extra action during the earlier stages of the offseason program.