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The Detroit Lions have spent the last few seasons building one of the league’s most feared offensive lines—but with veteran center Frank Ragnow announcing his retirement, things just got a lot more complicated in the trenches.
While the team did draft Georgia’s Tate Ratledge in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft with hopes of grooming him into a center, a recent Bleacher Report 2024 NFL re-draft suggests that Detroit might have been better off addressing the position sooner.
Let’s dig into this re-imagined draft move—and why it might’ve made all the difference.
The Ragnow Factor: Should the Lions Have Planned Ahead?
Frank Ragnow has been a warrior for the Lions. But injuries have been piling up for years, and anyone paying attention knew that retirement wasn’t off the table.
For a while, fans and analysts alike speculated about whether Detroit had a real contingency plan for Ragnow’s eventual departure. General Manager Brad Holmes did make moves to bolster the offensive line overall, but none specifically targeted a true center.
The coaching staff has done a commendable job of cross-training linemen, but that only goes so far when you’re trying to replace an All-Pro anchor like Ragnow.
The Re-Draft Switch: Beebe Over Arnold
In the original 2024 draft, the Lions made a bold move, trading up to grab cornerback Terrion Arnold—a pick many applauded. But in Bleacher Report’s alternate timeline, Detroit stays put at No. 29 and selects Cooper Beebe, an offensive lineman out of Kansas State who excelled at both guard and tackle in college.
As Kristopher Knox of B/R explained:
“The pivot occurs because Detroit knows that it will lose center Frank Ragnow to retirement in 2025… Taking Beebe here allows Detroit to put Ratledge at guard and ideally have a powerful and potent line leading the offense again in 2025.”
In this re-draft scenario, Beebe slides into the center role, while Ratledge—originally expected to play center—shifts to fill the void left by Kevin Zeitler at guard (after his free-agency departure to Tennessee).
It’s a smart reshuffle that maintains depth and quality across the line.
Beebe’s Rookie Season: Not Just Hypothetical
Beebe wasn’t just a “what-if” pick either. In his actual rookie season with the Cowboys, he turned heads. Starting 16 games, he held his own in a shaky Dallas offense and was ranked the 20th-best center by Pro Football Focus.
That’s an impressive start for any rookie lineman—and one that makes the Lions’ re-draft choice all the more credible.
Final Thoughts: A Line Built to Last?
In hindsight, the Lions were perhaps a little too hopeful that Ragnow would stick around. With the 2024 draft already in the books and the 2025 season looming, the team now faces a delicate transition.
Would drafting Cooper Beebe have softened the blow of Ragnow’s retirement? Quite possibly.
But hey, hindsight is 20/20—and if Ratledge turns into the player Detroit hopes he’ll be, all of this may become a non-issue.
Still, it’s fun (and a little painful) to imagine what could’ve been.
Keywords: Detroit Lions, Cooper Beebe
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