With an unexpected opening at center with the retirement of Frank Ragnow, could Graham Glasgow transition from guard to center?
Last season, the Detroit Lions had one of the best—if not the best—offensive line in the NFL. They got help in free agent guard Kevin Zeitler to help beef up the interior, and guard Graham Glasgow was coming off his best season ever. Center Frank Ragnow was now the top center in the league with the retirement of Jason Kelce, Taylor Decker was holding his own at left tackle, and Penei Sewell continued his argument as the best offensive tackle in the league.
A year later and there are question marks all over the interior. Zeitler left to go play for the Tennessee Titans , and Ragnow announced his retirement , leaving questions not just at guard, but now at center, too. The Lions had Christian Mahogany play in seven regular season games last year, mostly on special teams, but got one start—as well as another start in the Divisional Round—and did well in his limited time with the starters. The Lions also drafted guards Tate Ratledge and Miles Frazier in the 2025 NFL Draft to help give them more options on the interior.
The Lions have only a few months left to figure out the interior of the offensive line, and their best option at center could be the most experienced player on the interior in Glasgow. Here is why I think Glasgow might move from guard to center in 2025.
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Graham Glasgow
Expectations heading into 2024
Coming off his best season in the league, Glasgow re-signed with the Lions on a three-year $20 million deal . Glasgow had some high expectations to continue his great play and help the offensive line continue to be the best unit on this team. When the Lions signed Zeitler though, there were questions on where he would play: either at left or right guard. Glasgow has experience at both, but has performed better on the right side.
Zeitler had played his entire career at right guard, with only two snaps at left tackle and left guard. With that, it was clear that Glasgow wasn’t going to be the right guard and move back to the left side between his best friends Ragnow and Decker. Despite it being a tough transition for him, the Lions were fine with moving Glasgow over and giving Zeitler his comfortable spot at right guard.
Actual role in 2024
Note: Stats are regular season only unless otherwise stated
Regular season — 16 games (16 starts): 36 pressures allowed, 23 hurries allowed, nine QB hits allowed, six penalties, and four sacks allowed.
PFF Offensive Grade: 57.9 (57th out of 83 qualifying guards — minimum 236 snaps)
PFF Run Blocking Grade: 57.8 (59th out of 83)
PFF Pass Blocking Grade: 56.2 (63rd out of 83)
Glasgow took a step back in 2024 compared to his 2023 season. While Glasgow would allow fewer pressures and hurries (39 pressures and 30 hurries in 2023), his QB hits, penalties, and sacks would increase. His PFF blocking scores would all derail, with his best grade going from a 82.1 to 57.9. You could tell that the move from left guard to right guard affected how he played.
While Glasgow has experience at left guard, he is better suited on the right side. His first two seasons he played a majority of left guard with some center mixed in, and after a sluggish rookie season, his grades improved in year two, going from an average grade of 56.5 to 69.6. In 2019, Glasgow would move to right guard and his scores improved, having his best season (before 2023) that year.
While Glasgow was still showing signs of talent, it appeared that the move to left guard brought on some challenges for him, considering he played only 75 snaps in 2023, and before that hasn’t played in a game at the spot since 2017. He was looked at as the weakest link on the offensive line and a spot where his future after 2024 with the team was up in the air.
Outlook for 2025
If Ragnow would have stayed with the team in 2025, Glasgow would be fighting off the other guards for the starting job, most likely at right guard. The team likely wouldn’t have put him back at left guard unless Zeitler also returned. But with both Ragnow and Zeitler gone, not only does that open the door for a return at right guard for Glasgow, but center as well.
The Lions have a glaring weakness at center now as Glasgow has the most experience playing the position out of all the interior players, with Trystan Colon having the second-most snaps at center (257) in his career so far. That means the Lions will either hand the keys over to Glasgow at center, or they could have a rookie or other guard move to center. The Lions had Ratledge playing at center in OTAs, as it appears they are trusting him the most to compete with Glasgow for the center job.
Back at the owners meetings a few months ago, Lions head coach Dan Campbell may have hinted at Glasgow playing center in 2025.
“But Graham’s somebody that we still value because he’s got versatility […] he can also play center. I think people forget that some. Man, he can do an excellent job at center, as a matter of fact […] we have confidence in him. And there again, the fact that you know he can play all the positions, man, that lets you breathe easy.”
When asked about the center position during OTAs, Campbell emphasized experience and it’s Glasgow that fits the bill.
“Experience is big. It is,” said Campbell of the new-look offensive line. “But I think it’s whether it’s there or it’s the guy next to you that can help out a lot too. You’re going to need some experience somewhere in there. As long as you have that, you’re okay.”
Glasgow has over 2,600 snaps at center and his grading at that spot was good back in 2018, but rough in 2022 with the Broncos. I believe with the help he has on the offensive line in Detroit in 2025, he would be better than his 2022 version at center with Denver. Sure, he would have young guys at the guard spots on either side of him, but with the veteran experience at both tackle spots, they can help those guys out as well.
Glasgow appears to be the safest choice at center for this team. While Ratledge practiced at the position in college , he never played it in a game. Transitioning to the NFL is already a major adjustment—asking a rookie to also learn a new position only adds to the challenge. If the team views Ratledge as a potential center down the line, that’s reasonable since Glasgow isn’t getting any younger. But in 2025, having Glasgow snap the ball to Jared Goff remains the most reliable and sensible option.