Detroit Lions Can Move On from Frank Ragnow

The Frank Ragnow era in the Motor City has come to an end. Ragnow, who missed the Detroit Lions’ first phase of OTAs this spring, officially announced his retirement Monday.

The No. 20 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft played his entire seven-year professional career in Detroit. He left an indelible mark on the Lions organization, serving as the anchor of the team's offensive line from the center position for six of his seven seasons. 

The Arkansas product was a consummate pro both inside and outside the locker room, and played an instrumental role in Detroit's transformation from cellar-dwellers to back-to-back NFC North division champions in 2023 and 2024.

He was beloved by his teammates for his tenacity and grit, as he played through injury after injury in his final four NFL seasons. 

It started in 2021 when a toe injury limited him to just four games. The following season, he suited up for 16 games while dealing with a groin injury. Meanwhile, in 2023, he was listed on the injury report for the majority of the campaign while battling through calf, back, knee and ankle injuries. Then last season, Ragnow missed just one game with a partially torn pec.

All the while, the interior offensive lineman was one of the league's very best centers, and racked up accolade after accolade. From 2020-2024, he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and earned second-team All-Pro recognition three times (including in ‘24).

Unquestionably, losing Ragnow is a big blow to the Lions’ offensive line headed into the 2025 season. However, it doesn't mean that “the sky is falling” on Dan Campbell's squad all of a sudden or that Ragnow is irreplaceable. Heck, there's a chance his body would've given out on him at some point this season after all the wear and tear it's gone through in recent years.

It's one of the reasons why the Lions have heavily invested in the offensive line the last two drafts, selecting four total offensive linemen. Detroit general manager Brad Holmes took two linemen in each 2024 and 2025, drafting Giovanni Manu (fourth round) and Christian Mahogany (sixth round) last spring and Tate Ratledge (second round) and Miles Frazier (fifth round) this past May. 

It's likely that both Mahogany and Ratledge will garner significant reps along the interior of the offensive line this upcoming season. And it's expected that Ratledge, who received a healthy dose of reps at center in Ragnow's absence in OTAs last week, will compete for the starting center job in training camp with veteran lineman Graham Glasgow.

Ratledge, who was viewed as a potential eventual successor to Ragnow upon being drafted, now could be thrust into action in the middle of Detroit's offensive line as a rookie. 

While you can argue this isn't an optimal situation for the Lions to be in, it doesn't have to be a doomsday scenario, though, either. 

There is precedent as well when it comes to an NFL franchise having to replace a Pro Bowl center and then winning a Super Bowl the following season. The most recent example: the 2024 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. 

Following the 2023 season, the Eagles were forced to replace franchise icon Jason Kelce and then also had to find replacements for both their offensive and defensive coordinators. The Lions find themselves in the same situation, with two new coordinators headed into 2025 (offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard). 

So, even with Ragnow's abrupt retirement, it's far from time to give up on the Lions’ 2025 season. If Ratledge is as good as the organization believes he is, the Lions will be just fine and could very well still hoist the Lombardi Trophy at season's end.

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