Frank Ragnow’s sudden retirement at just 29 has left a massive void in the heart of the Detroit Lions’ offensive line - and while the team is still putting up points with the best of them, there’s no doubt his absence is being felt in a big way.
Let’s be clear: Ragnow wasn’t just another name on the depth chart. He was the anchor of what had been, at one point, arguably the best offensive line in football.
His pass protection, leadership, and ability to stabilize a unit that’s dealt with plenty of injuries and rotating pieces were foundational to Detroit’s rise. Without him, the Lions have slipped from a top-three pass-blocking unit to something closer to the middle of the pack.
And while they’ve managed to stay atop the league in scoring, the cracks are starting to show.
Lions insider Colton Pouncy put it bluntly in a recent mailbag: “The biggest loss to me wasn’t Ben Johnson, it was Frank Ragnow.” That’s a powerful statement considering Johnson, the offensive coordinator, was widely seen as a key architect of Detroit’s offensive renaissance.
But Pouncy’s point is hard to ignore - Johnson’s departure was expected. Ragnow’s wasn’t.
And for a team with serious postseason aspirations, that kind of surprise at a cornerstone position can be tough to absorb.
What makes the situation even more frustrating for fans and analysts alike is that Ragnow’s retirement wasn’t exactly out of left field. He had openly talked about the physical toll the game was taking on him.
The signs were there. And yet, Detroit didn’t take the necessary steps to prepare for life after Ragnow.
Other teams have handled similar situations with foresight - just look at how the Eagles groomed Cam Jurgens behind Jason Kelce. The Lions, on the other hand, didn’t draft a center or sign one in free agency.
Instead, they doubled down on guard depth, bringing in players like Tate Ratledge, who’s had a solid season in his own right. Ratledge has graded out well and allowed just two sacks, but he’s a guard, not a center - and that’s where the issue lies.
The team’s decision to slide Graham Glasgow, a natural guard, into the starting center role was a gamble - and not one that’s paid off long-term. Glasgow’s effort can’t be questioned.
He’s stepped in and held his own better than many expected. But he’s not Ragnow, and he’s not the long-term answer.
This was a stopgap solution, and the Lions are already feeling the limitations.
General manager Brad Holmes is taking heat for not addressing the center position more aggressively, and rightfully so. Detroit has built its recent identity on maximizing the value of every player on the roster - not just the stars, but the guys in the trenches, the role players, the glue guys.
That’s what’s made them such a compelling team to watch. But this time, they bet on internal solutions and came up short.
And the concern doesn’t stop with Ragnow. Left tackle Taylor Decker has started to drop hints about his own future, offering cryptic responses when asked about retirement. If the Lions don’t learn from the Ragnow situation and start planning now, they risk compounding the problem - especially with contract extensions looming for young stars like Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, and Sam LaPorta.
The Lions are still one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. But if they want to stay in that conversation in 2026 and beyond, they’ll need to treat the center position - and the entire offensive line - with the same urgency and foresight that’s defined their recent success. Because in this league, windows don’t stay open forever.