Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed the Detroit Lions were prepared for the possibility Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow would retire this offseason, but the timing of the official announcement last Monday was definitely less than ideal.
Ragnow is (or is it was?) as irreplaceable as anyone on the Lions' roster. The plan to replace him currently involves some level of competition between rookie Tate Ratledge, versatile veteran Graham Glasgow and new signing Trystan Colon.
If he doesn't take over immediately this year as he transitions from playing guard in college, Ratledge may be the long-term successor for Ragnow at center. Rookie fifth-round pick Miles Frazier also should not be counted out in that conversation.
The list of potential outside options to replace Ragnow , such as the Lions would even pursue them, is obviously short here in June as OTAs and minicamps wind down. The Lions, with an earlier than normal training camp start date due to playing in the Hall of Fame Game, will not have a mandatory minicamp as extra practice time to try to sort out who will step in for Ragnow.
Lions offered a possible trade target who could be long-term successor to Frank Ragnow
NFL.com recently asked some of their analysts for a trade they'd like to see before the 2025 season starts. Gennaro Filice used Ragnow's retirement news as the launching point for his, suggesting the Lions should have Los Angeles Rams center Beaux Limmer on their radar.
"As we head into summer, this is the time of year when sudden personnel losses spur action. Well, Detroit suffered a crushing blow this week with the abrupt retirement of Pro Bowler Frank Ragnow. What if the Lions replace one 6-foot-5 center out of Arkansas with another 6-foot-5 center out of Arkansas? Yes, Ragnow entered the league as a pedigreed first-rounder while Limmer didn’t come off the board until late in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Regardless, Limmer was immediately thrust into the lineup by injuries last season, and the rookie ultimately made 16 starts, including both Rams playoff games."
Filice noted Limmer's struggles as a pass blocker during his rookie season, as confirmed by 27 pressures allowed and an ugly 40.2 pass protection grade from Pro Football Focus (including the playoffs). Those struggles seem to have prompted the Rams to bring back center Coleman Shelton, which as Filice noted "inherently" sends Limmer to the bench/makes him a potential trade candidate.
But Limmer was far better as a run blocker last year, with a 65.4 PFF grade there (21st among centers, counting the playoffs). His strength as a run blocker, and relative struggles in pass protection, carried over from his final year at Arkansas to his first year in the NFL.
At 23 years old, with three years left on a Day 3 draft pick contract, Limmer is young and cheap right now with the potential to become the Lions' long-term successor for Ragnow.
A trade would likely wait until training camp or the start of preseason games, and it would require the Lions to not be thrilled with how things are taking shape in the search for Ragnow's replacement. But Limmer should be somewhat on the radar right now, just in case.
