Lions waste no time replacing Frank Ragnow after retirement bombshell

The Detroit Lions signed free agent center and guard Trystan Colon to a one-year deal per NFL Networks' Mike Garafolo, a few days after the huge news that Frank Ragnow would be retiring from the NFL ahead of the 2025 season. Colon, a 27 year veteran who most recently played for the Arizona Cardinals, suited up for just seven of those contests.

Colon may not be an immediate starting option for the Lions at the position given that he didn't play any snaps there in 2024, but he's a solid backup option to one of Graham Glasgow or Tate Ratledge at the position.

This move indicates that the Lions are trying to fortify their options at center with Ragnow out of the rotation during OTAs. Colon joins the team after playing for both the Baltimore Ravens and the Cardinals over his five years in the league, but mostly at guard. Detroit is setting up a clear competition to get Ragnow's spot on the offensive line.

Iron set to sharpen iron in brewing center competition

There's a clear competition being set up between Glasgow, Ratledge, and now Colon for center. And, there's always an outlier option that Miles Frazier could compete for the spot, as well. This is what OTAs are for, though. This is the best time for Detroit to figure out everyone's role, and with the offensive line in such flux, the team is going to toss a ton of looks at these linemen for the summer.

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Whoever can do the best job at average run blocking and pass protection will win the job, obviously. Some of these options, like Colon, are better at one than the other - Colon had a 68.5 run blocking grade in those seven games he started, while Glasgow only had a 57.8 run blocking grade. Colon was also the better pass protector.

Ratledge is the wild card in this trio. The rookie did take reps at center with both Georgia and the Lions in OTAs this offseason, but it's unclear how well he's actually done in those reps.

It's exciting to imagine that the Lions finally have some options at the position given how backbreaking the retirement of Ragnow was when the news first dropped.

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