The Detroit Lions entered the offseason with Super Bowl expectations — and a roster strong enough to back it up. But with Frank Ragnow officially retiring and Kevin Zeitler gone in free agency, the offensive line is now looking like a real concern for 2025.
Last season, Detroit’s O-line was one of the best in football. They gave up just 33 sacks and helped power a strong run game, anchored by three Pro Bowlers. But now? Things look a lot different in the trenches.
Ragnow’s retirement came as a shock, and without Zeitler, the Lions are left plugging major holes on the interior. Graham Glasgow is still around, but even before Ragnow walked away, some thought Glasgow might not make the roster. Now, he could be forced into a starting center role.
That leaves rookies and second-year players like Christian Mahogany, Tate Ratledge, Giovanni Manu, and Miles Frazier as the next men up. There’s potential in that group, but not much proven reliability — and that’s a gamble for a team eyeing a deep postseason run.
The good news? The NFC North doesn’t exactly boast terrifying interior pass rushers. The bad news? The Lions have matchups with teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, Rams, Bucs, and Eagles — all of whom have elite defensive tackles that could wreak havoc if the interior line struggles.
The tackles — Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker — will hold up fine on the edges. But if the middle caves in, it could derail everything this offense wants to do.
The Lions can still be contenders, but the pressure is now squarely on their young linemen to grow up fast — or Detroit’s dreams of making it to the Super Bowl may get swallowed up from the inside out.
Frank Ragnow’s Retirement Leaves Major Hole in Lions’ Offensive Line
