The Detroit Lions lost more than just a game against their NFC North rivals on Sunday. As disappointing as the defeat to the Vikings was, the bigger concern for the Lions was the injuries they sustained, especially on the offensive line. Not only did they lose Christian Mahogany long-term, but Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker are also dealing with injuries that leave their availability for Week 10 in jeopardy.
Dan Campbell now has to shuffle things around on the offensive line, especially if Sewell and/or Decker miss time. The odds of the Lions making a move at the trade deadline seem slim. Teams are understandably hesitant to move on from their starting-caliber offensive linemen, or would require a haul to even consider it. Therefore, the Lions are thinking about alternatives, and a potential Frank Ragnow return has been floated by fans.
On Tuesday, Campbell poured cold water on that possibility. In his appearance on Costa & Jansen on 97.1 The Ticket, Campbell said, "that ship has sailed," referring to Ragnow coming back from retirement, according to Lions insider Dave Birkett.
Lions Now Have to Shuffle Things Around in Offensive Line
Ragnow's retirement had come out of nowhere in the offseason as the 29-year-old called it quits after seven seasons in the NFL. He was coming off three straight Pro Bowl selections and seemed to be at the peak of his powers before deciding to hang up his cleats. As understandable as it was because of the physical nature of the position and the league, it put the Lions in a bind.
Campbell's solution after Ragnow's retirement was to make Graham Glasgow the starting center, and have Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge on either side of him on the offensive line. With Mahogany now sidelined, the Lions could go in multiple directions, including potentially moving Ratledge to center and having Glasgow replace Mahogany at left guard.
On Sunday, however, it was Kayode Awosika who took over from Mahogany, and Dan Skipper saw some snaps when Decker briefly left the game with an injury. Awosika is presumably the favorite to get the start against the Commanders in Week 10. If Campbell wants to move Glasgow to guard, Trystan Colon is another possibility to get the start at center.
Having a competent veteran who knows the team inside out, like Ragnow, would have been a dream scenario, but it sounds like there is no chance of it happening. Now, the Lions have to find internal answers to their problem, but what those answers will be remains to be seen.