Ask any Detroit Lions fan, and interior offensive line will be among their top-three wants in free agency this year. With how much of a step back the Lions offensive line took last year, figuring out how to return that unit to its former glory should be one of the biggest offseason goals for this franchise.
Let’s look at the options the Lions will have at both center and guard to turn their fortunes around on their offensive front.
Previously:
Under contract:
- G Christian Mahogany
- G/C Tate Ratledge
- G Myles Frazier
- G/C Juice Scruggs
- G/C Michael Niese
- G/T Colby Sorsdal
- G Mason Miller
- G/C Seth McLaughlin
Lions free agents:
- G/C Trystan Colon
- G Kayode Awosika
While the Lions are returning most players and have already added two new players (Scruggs, McLaughlin), there is still a significant hole among the starting lineup. Detroit is still trying to figure out what to do in the wake of Frank Ragnow’s retirement last year. With Graham Glasgow, their 2025 solution, now gone, there’s a spot up for grabs at center.
Lions coach Dan Campbell continues to insist that Tate Ratledge is a possible option at center, so in this installment of our free agency preview, we are going to look at both center and guard options for the Lions.
Top free agent iOL available:
- C Tyler Linderbaum (estimated contract: four years, $80M)
- LG David Edwards (three years, $35M)
- G Alijah Vera-Tucker (four years, $70M)
- C Connor McGovern (three years, $39M)
Linderbaum would be the best clear upgrade for the Lions at center, but there appears to be a bidding war ahead to gain his services. Most believe he’s going to get more than PFF’s estimates, predicting even up to $25 million per year. There’s conflicting reports on whether the Lions will get involved in such negotiations, but there’s little debate that Linderbaum is the biggest talent they could add this offseason at center.
The step-down option is Bills’ McGovern. He’d cost considerably less, because he’s just an above-average center. That said, he also has plenty of NFL playing experience at both guard positions, so he would give Detroit options between him and Ratledge at center. McGovern has publicly said he’s open to moving back to guard.
If the Lions wanted to go the guard route instead, Edwards is probably the best long-term solution. At 28 years old, Edwards worked his way up from a fifth-round pick to become a solid, consistent starter.
Vera-Tucker comes with a little “buyer beware” after missing all of last year with a torn tricep, most of the 2023 season with an Achilles tear, and half of 2022 with another torn tricep. But as a former first-round pick who is still just 26 years old, Vera-Tucker’s tape is very good, and he’s the type of mauler in the run game the Lions would covet. PFF’s estimate is a bit rich for a player with an injury history like Vera-Tucker’s, but as a skilled player with versatility to play nearly every OL position, this would be a big swing.
Best fits:
- C Tyler Linderbaum
- C Connor McGovern
- C Cade Mays (1 year, $4.5M)
C Tyler Biadasz(signing with Chargers)- G Joel Bitonio (1 year, $4.5M)
- G Kevin Zeitler (1 year, $9.5M)
- G/C Greg Van Roten (1 year, $3.5M)
I’m listing Linderbaum and McGovern here, because I believe if there’s one area the Lions should consider splurging this offseason, it’s at the center position. The biggest argument against signing one of those center is that it is a seller’s market. There are a ton of teams currently looking for a starting center, and that’s going to drive prices up considerably. Unfortunately, Detroit doesn’t have many other options, unless they can get creative with some trade proposals.
I’m not the biggest fan of Cade Mays, but he’d likely come at a considerably lower price. Mays will be 27 next month, and has never really been considered a full-time starter. But he’s stepped in to start 27 games over the past four years, and he’s played every interior position. He replaced starting center Austin Corbett early last year and held the position when Corbett returned to health (and moved to guard). I still feel this is closer to a lateral move than upgrade, but more competition is good.
If the Lions want to go the guard route, there are plenty of affordable veteran options available. Bitonio is past his prime and would be entering his 13th NFL season, but he’s been super reliable—playing at least 1,000 snaps in nine straight seasons and posting above-average grades each year. He’s played almost exclusively left guard, so it may require moving someone like Mahogany or Frazier to the right. Bitonio also has that Drew Petzing connection from his time in Cleveland.
Detroit could also opt to just run things back with Zeitler, if he’d be interested in a return. He’s still playing at a very high level, he’s done it next to Penei Sewell before, and it would certainly help Ratledge at center to have a dependable veteran on one shoulder.
Van Roten is one of my low-key favorite options. Though his play has only been a step above average lately, his versatility to play any spot would give the Lions some options. Tough he’s mostly played right guard in his career, he does have a handful of starts at center, including two to end the 2024 season. He, too has connection with the Lions, having played under Mike Kafka’s offense for the last two years with the Giants. That said… he’s 36, but he has logged 1,000 snaps in three straight seasons—so the body is holding up well enough.
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