Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The Detroit Lions nudged longtime center Dominic Raiola into retirement after the 2014 season, but one year later, they're not totally set on his replacement.

Both coach Jim Caldwell and general manager Bob Quinn indicated at the NFL's annual spring meetings this week that incumbent center Travis Swanson could face competition for the starting spot.

“It’s just like any other position," Quinn said. "It's about competition. So if we find a center, we add a center to the roster that is better than Travis, then that center’s going to play. If Travis is the best center, he’s going to play.”

A third-round pick out of Arkansas in 2014, Swanson made five starts as a fill-in guard and center as a rookie and had an inconsistent second season, taking over from Raiola. He started 14 games at center but was a part of assignment problems that plagued the Lions early in the year and finished the season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury that required surgery in January.

The Lions never were players for the top center in free agency, Alex Mack, and have shown no discernible interest in the second tier on the market. But it's considered a strong year for centers in the NFL draft, and they could address the position with a rookie.

"If there’s a center there that I like, yeah," Quinn said when asked if center will be a priority in the draft. "I mean, you tell me who’s going to be there and I’ll tell you if it’s a priority or not.”

Caldwell said he's comfortable with Swanson starting at center again this fall "if he proves it."

And what does he have to do for that to happen?

“He’s got to play and got to play well," Caldwell said. "Got to play consistently."

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Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett

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