The Lions need a new center after the retirement of Frank Ragnow. Luckily, the Chargers have some extra bodies.
Lions three-time All-Pro center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 29 on Monday morning. It continues a season of re-tooling for Detroit who has already lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators this past season to head-coaching opportunities. For a team who loves to run the ball and play a very efficient-type of offense, losing the guy in the middle of the offensive line has got to hurt.
Now I don’t expect the Lions as a whole to hit much of a speed bump entering the 2025 season, but they’ll certainly need to find a new pivot in hopes of keeping that unit as well-oiled as it’s been in recent years. Without Ragnow, the Lions have Graham Glasgow, Michael Niese, and Kingsley Eguakun as their center group. Glasgow has experience at center, but the Lions also need fill their guard spots. Rookue Tate Ratledge is expected to play right guard, but Glasgow may end up playing left guard following the loss of Kevin Zeitler who is now in Tennessee.
Enter the Chargers who currently have three different players who could end up starting at center in 2025. After bringing back 2024 starter Bradley Bozeman, the Chargers also signed for Raiders starter Andre James. These two are currently working in alongside left guard Zion Johnson who is also getting the chance to snap to Justin Herbert.
With Bozeman, Johnson, and James all essentially fighting for one of the two open job up front (center and left guard), one of them will eventually be left out in the cold. Instead of spending an increased amount on their backup lineman, why not try and move one for some small amount of future draft capital?
If Bozeman and Johnson both start at the same spots they held in 2024, the Chargers could move James to Detroit in a win-win situation for both sides. The Bolts would get back resources for a non-starter and the Lions would add a new center with four years of starting experience.
Anyone say no? It’s most definitely something to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses.