Breaking down the Lions options to replace Frank Ragnow now that the center is retiring
Breaking down the Lions options to replace Frank Ragnow now that the center is retiring
The stunning news that center Frank Ragnow is retiring from football means major changes are coming to the Detroit Lions offensive line. Ragnow has been a high-end fixture in the middle of the Detroit line since he was drafted in the first round in 2018.
Replacing Ragnow will not be easy. He's a three-time second-team All-Pro and has earned Pro Bowl status in four of the last five seasons, including 2024. The Lions aren't caught completely off-guard, however. They have some options to replace Ragnow in the pivot.
The most likely solution is rookie Tate Ratledge. Selected in the second round, Ratledge played right guard at Georgia, but he has taken nearly all the first-team center reps throughout Lions OTAs and rookie minicamp. Ratledge noted he earned reps as the backup center at Georgia when he spoke to the media at rookie minicamp earlier this spring.
The other most prominent option is for veteran Graham Glasgow to slide back to center. Glasgow has been Ragnow's primary backup since rejoining the Lions in 2023, while also serving as a starting guard. Glasgow's play fell off considerably in 2024 while playing left guard, but the soon-to-be 33-year-old has NFL starting experience at center during his three-year stint with the Denver Broncos, as well as spot starts in Detroit.
The Lions also have centers Kingsley Eguakun and Michael Niese in reserve on the current 90-man roster. Niese played 33 snaps at center in emergency duty last year, his second season in Detroit. Eguakun, an undrafted rookie from Florida in 2024, got the bulk of the work at second-team center behind Ratledge in Friday's OTA session.
Colby Sorsdal has also taken some practice reps at center as he attempts to stick on the roster in his third season. The 2023 fifth-round pick has unsuccessfully bounced between right tackle and guard, and moving to center could be his ticket to more significance.
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