Among the many key points that Lions GM Brad Holmes touched upon in his end-of-season press conference was the unclear future of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow.
Ragnow has battled through several injuries over his six seasons in Detroit, but the 2023 campaign was an extreme one for No. 77. In the final weeks of the Lions run to the NFC Championship game, Ragnow was listed on the weekly injury report with four separate maladies: toe, ankle, knee and back.
The toe injury is a serious one, and while Ragnow has gutted it out with considerable aplomb, it’s not easy on him. There has been talk of Ragnow potentially retiring in this offseason. It’s talk that Holmes did not push back on when asked about it in his press conference on Monday.
“Ragnow, it’s only one of them on the planet, in my opinion,” Holmes said. “But I have so much respect for him and for everything that he goes through and fights through that I’m just respectful of his time and his thoughts. And we’re not going to pressure him to do anything or make any moves. But the communication will be diligent. It’ll be thorough, it’ll be respectful.”
Having star players retire early is a sensitive issue for the Lions. It’s an organization that saw Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson both retire much earlier than expected and not on great terms with the regimes at the times. Those times have clearly changed under Holmes and owner Sheila Hamp, and handling Ragnow with the respect he deserves is a further validation.
On a more pragmatic level, Ragnow is currently the only player on the Lions roster who has ever snapped a ball in an NFL game. Graham Glasgow could return as a free agent, but he’s the starting right guard. Expect Holmes and the Lions to bolster the depth behind Ragnow this offseason, at minimum.