Fixing The Detroit Lions Offensive Line Issues

One of the biggest challenges Brad Holmes faces this offseason is bolstering the Lions’ offensive line despite Detroit’s bloated salary cap. According to Overthecap.com, Detroit is projected to exceed the team’s $320 million salary cap by more than $5 million. Nonetheless, there are roster issues that must be addressed, and chief among them are the problems with Detroit’s offensive line. 

Fixing The Detroit Lions Offensive Line Issues 

The Lions’ offensive line never recovered from Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow’s retirement. Exacerbating the situation, the o-line was plagued by an ongoing litany of injuries that forced the team to rely on inexperienced rookies, reserves, and replacement players. 

The Unique Skill Set Of An NFL Center

A center does more than merely snap the ball and block. The position requires a high level of football IQ in addition to speed, strength, and agility. The job of any offensive line player is wholly dependent upon clear communication and timely execution. It’s up to the center as the “quarterback of the line” to establish the timing and tone for the entire offense. He anchors the line, reading the defense and communicating any shifts before snapping the ball. When assignments are clearly understood and precisely executed, the transition becomes seamless.

However, clear communication and the precise timing of the snap are essential. Every member of the offense needs to know the designated play and execute it in a synchronized manner. But as we saw early in the Lions’ 2025 season, inexperienced player confusion can result in teammates colliding with each other and missing assignments. Those mistakes lead to sacks, stops, and costly turnovers.

Who Will Be The Lions Center In 2026

Heading into the 2026 season, the role of anchoring Detroit’s o-line is in a state of flux. Graham Glasgow admirably stepped up last season to transition from guard. As the veteran with the most experience at center, he is the strongest option. 

However, after struggling through injuries, his status for next season is uncertain. Glasgow has indicated retirement is a possibility. He has one year remaining on his three-year contract extension with a $6.5 million base salary and another $1.4 million in a pro-rated signing bonus. The Lions would save approximately $7-8 million of cap space if he retires or is cut. 

Lions Internal Candidates

The question then becomes, if not Glasgow, who will be the center? Second-year guard Tate Ratledge is an option. He’s done well at guard and was the Lions’ top-performing rookie, appearing in all 17 games. Ratledge earned an overall 70.3 grade on 1,088 snaps from PFF.com. 

Another option would be Seth McLaughlin. Earlier this month, the Lions signed the 24-year-old former Cincinnati Bengal to a reserve/future contract. McLaughlin initially began his collegiate football career at Alabama but transferred to Ohio State as a senior. It proved to be a good move. McLaughlin was awarded the 2024 Rimington Trophy as the best center in college football. He finished the season with a 70.7 PFF grade, allowing zero sacks and seven pressures, and was given a 67.9 run blocking grade. 

However, just before OSU was scheduled to play in the National Championship, McLaughlin ruptured his Achilles tendon in practice. As a result of that injury, he missed the game and went undrafted in 2025. Signing with the Bengals as a UDFA, he remained on their practice squad for the entire season. 

Free Agent Options

There are several experienced NFL centers who will be unrestricted free agents in 2026. 25-year-old Baltimore Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum is widely regarded as the top candidate. He finished the 2025 season with an impressive 83.7 run block grade and an 80.2 overall score. Unfortunately, for the Lions, Linderbaum will want a significant salary bump with an expected market value of more than $17 million. Given the salary cap, that price point puts him outside the Lions’ range.

The same can be said of Carolina Panthers’ Cade Mays. Although the 26-year-old center is not as accomplished as Linderbaum (62.4 overall PFF grade), he’s expected to fetch as much as $12 million.

New Orleans Saints Center Luke Fortner 

One free agent center who might be within the Lions’ price point is New Orleans Saints center Luke Fortner. The 27-year-old is expected to command a market price of approximately $6.1 million. His pass-block PFF grade of 72.5 is intriguing. Although he gave up 3.0 sacks and 11 pressures, he didn’t allow a single QB hit. Having played only 675 snaps in 2025, the potential for improvement is there. It’s possible that with Hank Fraley’s guidance, he could become even more effective.

At 6’6” and 307 lbs., Fortner has the size to anchor the line. Initially drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars (third-round draft pick in 2022), Fortner was perhaps a casualty when Liam Coen became the Jags’ head coach.  He brought in Robert Hainsey with him from Tampa Bay in March of 2025 for training camp competition. However, Coen praised Fortner as a “total pro” who played with intelligence and was able to step into a starting role after Erik McCoy’s injury.