By Moses Joshua 
With a Super Bowl window wide open, Detroit is being pushed to make a strategic move to secure its offensive core following the sudden retirement of its Pro Bowl anchor.
Filling a Massive Void: Life After Ragnow
The Detroit Lions have had plenty to celebrate over the past year, but the surprise retirement of four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow sent shockwaves through the team’s offseason. While the move wasn’t entirely unforeseen internally, the loss of a player so central—literally and figuratively—to the Lions’ offensive success presents a significant challenge for a franchise with championship aspirations.
In response, Detroit has started grooming second-round draft pick Tate Ratledge, a standout guard from Georgia, to take snaps at center. However, Ratledge has yet to play a down in the NFL, let alone at one of the most cerebral and responsibility-heavy positions on the offensive line.
That uncertainty is why some around the league are now pushing the Lions to consider a contingency—and possibly, a permanent solution.
Trade Winds: Beaux Limmer Emerges as a Smart Target
NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice recently suggested the Lions explore a trade for Los Angeles Rams center Beaux Limmer, a player who quietly impressed during his rookie season in 2024.
“As we head into summer, this is the time of year when sudden personnel losses spur action,” Filice wrote. “What if the Lions replace one 6-foot-5 center out of Arkansas with another 6-foot-5 center out of Arkansas?”
Limmer, a sixth-round pick by the Rams in 2024, was forced into starting duties due to injuries and ended up logging 16 starts, including two playoff games. While a few late-season hiccups—most notably a tough showing against Jalen Carter in the Divisional Round—led to the Rams signing veteran Coleman Shelton, Limmer showed promising upside, particularly as a run blocker.
The logic behind the trade is clear: Detroit’s offensive line remains elite on the edges with Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, but the interior—especially at center—is now a question mark. Adding Limmer, a young lineman with experience and untapped potential, could restore the balance that made the Lions’ offensive line one of the NFL’s most feared units.
Cost-Efficient, High-Upside Move
Beyond Limmer’s performance, the move would make sense from a roster-building and financial standpoint. As a sixth-rounder, Limmer’s trade value should be manageable, offering the Lions a potential long-term fix without giving up premium draft capital.
Limmer may still be part of the Rams’ future plans, but the presence of Shelton could make him expendable. And with Detroit general manager Brad Holmes having previously worked under Rams GM Les Snead, there’s already a foundation for trade negotiations.
Filice summed it up well: “Detroit’s rise has been fueled in a big way by a beastly offensive front, so the Lions can’t leave anything to chance with this unit.”
What’s Next for the Lions?
With Ratledge, Trystan Colon, and a creative coaching staff already in the mix, Detroit may feel content to ride out the season without making a splash at center. But if the franchise is truly intent on capitalizing on its Super Bowl window, hedging their bets with a player like Beaux Limmer could be the smart, proactive move.
In a conference that features elite defenses, a well-fortified offensive line isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. And for a team that’s built its identity on physicality and control in the trenches, there’s no room for uncertainty at the center of it all.
Verdict: The time to move is now. Ragnow may be gone, but with the right call, the Lions can ensure the heart of their offense keeps beating strong.