The Detroit Lions should still be one of the NFL’s best teams this season. But the Lions have already been one of the best teams for a couple seasons. If this group doesn’t make a trip to the Super Bowl, it will be a massive letdown for hungry Detroit fans.
The Lions’ shot at a Super Bowl didn’t disappear with center Frank Ragnow’s surprise retirement on Monday at 29 years old. But it surely doesn’t help Detroit. Ragnow was a four-time Pro Bowl player. He was the second-best center in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades.
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It’s a big loss, especially on June 2 when it’s hard to come up with a decent replacement plan. And it’s not the only big loss for the Lions this offseason.
The Lions went 15-2 last season and should feel like they can have one of the best records in the NFL again. But this offseason has shown how hard it can be to maintain that level in a competitive and ever-changing league.
Lions have had some attrition
The Lions’ biggest losses this offseason weren’t from the 53-man roster.
When coordinators move on for better jobs, those can be underrated subtractions. And the Lions lost two coordinators who were considered among the top three or four candidates in the entire head coaching cycle this past offseason.
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Ben Johnson did a phenomenal job with the Lions offense during their rise the past couple seasons. He is now the Chicago Bears’ head coach. Maybe the Lions can keep cruising on offense, but that’s not guaranteed. The Lions led the NFL with 564 points scored with Johnson calling plays last season. It’s tough to replicate that.
Frank Ragnow surprisingly retired from the Detroit Lions at age 29. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
(Michael Owens via Getty Images)
Aaron Glenn was a highly respected defensive coordinator who was hired to be the head coach of the New York Jets. Glenn adeptly made adjustments when the Lions defense was hammered with injuries last season and kept the unit afloat until it collapsed in a divisional round upset against the Washington Commanders.
The losses to the coaching staff shouldn’t be discounted. The roster didn’t have that type of attrition in the offseason, but then the Lions lost one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL.
Lions lose a Pro Bowl player
The Lions hadn’t had any huge losses in the offseason, in terms of players. They saw cornerback Carlton Davis sign with the New England Patriots, but quickly replaced him with D.J. Reed. Other losses weren’t great, though guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. Combine that with the Ragnow retirement and the Lions’ offensive line isn’t quite as good as it was. And that was perhaps the biggest strength of the team during a fantastic 2024 regular season.
Ragnow could be replaced by second-round pick Tate Ratledge, but he was a guard at Georgia and would be a rookie being asked to change positions and replace a four-time Pro Bowler.
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This is how Super Bowl windows pass quickly. Coordinators leave after having wild success. A strength like a dominant offensive line loses two of five starters. Other players are a year older. In the Lions’ case, the other three teams in the NFC North all look like threats to make the playoffs. Detroit has one of the toughest projected schedules in the NFL this season. The roadblocks pile up.
Add it all up and it will be hard to return to the position Detroit was in last season, when it was the No. 1 seed in the NFC just two home wins from making a Super Bowl. It’s a massive challenge to become a Super Bowl contender in the NFL. The Lions are finding out that it’s also very hard to stay at that level.
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