Frank Ragnow’s sudden retirement has transformed the Detroit Lions’ offensive line landscape overnight. What was once considered among the NFL’s elite units now faces a “giant question mark” heading into the 2025 season.
In the latest episode of MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast, hosts Ben Raven and Kory Woods didn’t mince words about the significance of the loss.
“When you have Frank Ragnow in that lineup, you can say the Lions offensive line is elite,” Woods explained. “When you take him out, they’re good. But Ragnow makes them elite.”
This distinction between “elite” and merely “good” could prove crucial for a team with championship aspirations. Ragnow wasn’t just a physically dominant blocker – he was the offensive line’s field general, responsible for identifying blitzes, making protection calls, and ensuring everyone operated in unison.
The domino effect of Ragnow’s departure extends beyond just the center position. His absence necessitates a complete reorganization of the line’s interior, still to be sorted out at training camp.
“It’s a facelift for sure,” Woods said.
MORE: Teammates call Ragnow ‘irreplaceable’
While tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell provide stability on the edges -- “that’s as good as it gets in tackle duos,” Raven says -- the most likely scenario for the interior, at least in Raven’s estimation, involves veteran Graham Glasgow stepping into the center role.
“I know two weeks ago I would have projected the offensive line as Ratledge and Mahogany as starters with Glasgow as the top center backup. Just being a flex option off the bench. I think Glasgow is the starting center this year,” Raven said.
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This arrangement would place rookie Tate Ratledge and second-year player Christian Mahogany at the guard positions -- two talented but largely unproven players at the NFL level.
“I think keeping Hank Fraley may have been the biggest blessing in disguise out of all of this,” Woods observed.
Listen to the Dungeon of Doom podcast below for more on the impact of Ragnow’s retirement:
AI was used to summarize a recent episode of the Dungeon of Doom podcast. This story was reviewed and edited by MLive staff.