The Detroit Lions are staring down a serious issue just weeks before training camp: their second-round pick, Tate Ratledge, still hasn’t signed his rookie deal. And unlike most rookie holdouts, this one could have real consequences.
Ratledge isn’t just another promising lineman. With Frank Ragnow retiring and holes opening up across the interior offensive line, Ratledge is expected to be a Day 1 starter—possibly even at center. That’s a massive ask for any rookie, let alone one who hasn’t even stepped on the practice field yet.
Here’s the kicker: he’s not alone. 30 of the 32 second-round picks from the 2025 NFL Draft remain unsigned, thanks to a new precedent set by the Texans and Browns. Both teams handed out fully guaranteed deals to early second-rounders, and now the rest of the league is stuck in a holding pattern.
The Lions are in a tight spot. Their offensive success has been powered by a top-tier O-line, and if Ratledge isn’t there to help patch up the interior, their Super Bowl hopes could start to wobble. Every day he misses hurts the team’s ability to gel up front—and gives Jared Goff less protection.
Detroit might have no choice but to hand over that fully guaranteed deal. After all, if they don’t trust Ratledge to hold down the line for the next four years, they’ve got bigger problems than a little extra guaranteed money.
The clock’s ticking, and the Lions can’t afford to let it run out.
Lions’ Super Bowl Hopes Hinge on Rookie Still Without a Deal
