The Lions\u2019 offensive line suffered a brutal blow when four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired last June. Ragnow hung it up a couple of weeks after his 29th birthday, but five months later, he staged a comeback bid in late November. That attempt never got off the ground, though, as a failed physical prevented Ragnow from rejoining the team this season.<\/p>\n
A Grade 3 hamstring injury stopped Ragnow from potentially aiding the Lions during the stretch run. Detroit was 7-4 and firmly in the playoff race when Ragnow tried to come out of retirement. Now 8-8, the Lions will not follow up last year\u2019s 15-win campaign with another postseason appearance.
\nAs the eliminated Lions turn their attention toward next season, it appears they\u2019ll continue to go without Ragnow (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
\nAsked if Ragnow will play in 2026, quarterback Jared Goff told WXYT-FM, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s in the cards at all.\u201d
\nWhile Goff plans to talk to Ragnow, he added, \u201cI just don\u2019t think his interest level is there.\u201d
\nWith Ragnow likely to remain in retirement, Birkett points to the center position as a potential offseason priority for the team. Ragnow was a 16-game starter during a masterful offensive display in 2024. The Lions led the league in scoring and finished second in total offense. Pro Football Focus regarded Ragnow as an important part of their success, ranking him as the league\u2019s third-best center.
\nThe Lions\u2019 Ragnow-less offense still sits near the top of the league in scoring (third) and yardage (sixth) this season, but replacement Graham Glasgow has been far less effective than his predecessor. Over 14 games (13 starts), PFF places the 33-year-old\u2019s performance 35th among 41 qualifying centers. He\u2019s under contract next season for $6.5MM, but Glasgow\u2019s \u201cnot expected back\u201d at that salary, Birkett writes.
\nGlasgow earned his current deal \u2013 a three-year, $20MM pact \u2013 in March 2024. He was a starting guard at that point. Ragnow\u2019s retirement led the Lions to move Glasgow to center, but it initially seemed the role would go to rookie Tate Ratledge. The second-rounder from Georgia has instead started all 16 of Detroit\u2019s games at right guard, his college position. A first-team All-American in his final season with the Bulldogs, Ratledge now leads all Lions offensive players in snap share (98.8%) and ranks as PFF\u2019s 22nd-best guard out of 80 qualifiers.
\nAlthough Ratledge has acquitted himself well as a professional guard, a Year 2 shift to center is \u201cnot off the table,\u201d head coach Dan Campbell said (via Birkett). Whether the Lions commit to a position change for Ratledge will count among their key offseason decisions. If the Lions don\u2019t go down that road, they could seek their next starting center on the open market (the Ravens\u2019 Tyler Linderbaum is the premier pending free agent at the position) or in the draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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