ALLEN PARK — As the offensive line went, so did the 2025 Detroit Lions.
The 2025 Detroit Lions, eliminated from the playoffs entering Week 18, didn’t go very far.
Following the retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and the departure of free-agent right guard Kevin Zeitler, the Lions never did get the interior of their offensive line settled. They tried veteran Graham Glasgow at center before injuries forced them to play Trystan Colon, before a run of bad performances and injuries from both players led them to start former undrafted free agent Kingsley Eguakun in the two most important games of the season.
As the Lions try to solve their problems this upcoming season, figuring out the center position is undoubtedly the place to start. But on Monday, Lions coach Dan Campbell said it’s still possible the solution comes from in-house.
Campbell is still intrigued by what rookie lineman Tate Ratledge, who played his entire first season at right guard, might be able to do at the center position.
“We felt like he could be a center and that’s still not off the table,” Campbell said. “We watched him at guard, he played right guard in college. He’s a good athlete, he’s a big man, he can move. So, we’ll find out.”
In an ideal world, Ratledge, a second-round pick (No. 57) out of Georgia, could have been the Lions’ center from jump and helped ease the transition to a post-Ragnow world. Detroit tried to enact such a plan, having Ratledge take snaps throughout rookie minicamp and OTAs before having him play center for the first three days of training camp. But after those three days, the Lions transitioned back to Glasgow and never looked back.
Ultimately, it was asking a lot for Ratledge, 24, to try filling the shoes of Ragnow. Center is a highly demanding position mentally, especially for someone transitioning to the pro game who’s never actually played center.
But Ragnow also started his NFL career at guard, so it wouldn’t be an unusual change for Ratledge to make in Year 2. The difference is that Ragnow also played center in college, which helped ease the transition.
Plus, Ratledge had a promising start to his career. After a troubling start from him and the rest of the offensive line in Green Bay, he settled in nicely and was the least of Detroit’s interior problems by season’s end — even if there’s still plenty of room to grow, particularly as a pass protector.
Ratledge is one of just two starting offensive linemen (along with Sewell) to appear in all 16 of the team’s games this season. Over 603 pass-blocking snaps in his rookie season, he allowed 24 pressures, 13 hurries and two sacks.
“There’s been growth, and that’s really what you want out of your rookies,” Campbell said. “You want to feel that there has been growth taking place. And being between Graham for most of the year and (Penei) Sewell has helped. But there’s still a ton of growth left and he’s going to have to take another step next year, preferably this next game coming up, take another baby step here.
“But he’s going to need to take another step, which he’s got that and he’s capable of.”
Ratledge will not, however, be getting a head start on that potential transition in Week 18. Campbell confirmed that Ratledge will not be taking center reps in the finale.
“I don’t see that,” Campbell said.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks during a press conference following an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)