The Detroit Lions‘ 2025 season was hampered by injuries and officially submarined with a late-season three-game losing streak.
Regression along its offensive line was one of the common denominators for the Lions‘ 9-8 finish. Detroit never found the proper answer at center after Frank Ragnow’s abrupt retirement in June of last year.
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It sets the Lions up with an offseason where Detroit is likely looking to find its next long-term answer at center either in free agency or via the 2026 NFL draft.
As the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine nears its conclusion, reports this week have linked the Lions to a trio of centers. Per Crunch Time Sports, the Lions held informal meetings with Auburn center Connor Lew, Florida center Jake Slaughter and Indiana center Pat Coogan.
Veteran Graham Glasgow was the Lions’ starting center a season ago, but Glasgow is entering his age 34 season and the final year of his deal. One way or another, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive lineman is nearing the end of his time in the Motor City.
Other center options in the 2026 NFL draft include Kansas State’s Sam Hecht, Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn III, Iowa’s Logan Jones, Duke’s Brian Parker II and Alabama’s Parker Brailsford.
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The Lions also haven’t ruled out the idea of Tate Ratledge as an option at center. Ratledge was Detroit’s starting right guard for all 17 games in 2025.
“There’s still promise for Tate to move into that position,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said this week. “I think that’s the beauty of it. That’s flexibility that we have.”
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions hold series of informal meetings with top centers