The Detroit Lions are fighting for a playoff spot in the NFC and have a divisional showdown taking place on Thanksgiving Day versus the Green Bay Packers. And one day before this contest, the Lions got some huge news along the offensive line.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday that center Frank Ragnow is returning to Detroit and is expected to play sooner rather than later. Rapoport added that Ragnow is in shape and is ready to contribute.
That is a massive reinforcement that the Lions are getting along the offensive line and makes them a better unit, but this return will likely cost Kayode Awosika more than just his job, as some dollars won't make it into his pockets.
Kayode Awosika Will Lose Money with Frank Ragnow’s Return
Awosika signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal in free agency, but there were some playing time incentives that were thrown into that contract per Spotrac. He has $300,000 guaranteed on his deal, but there was more money to be made but it'll be interesting to see what threshold he can reach.
Total Snap Percentage | Compensation |
|---|---|
35% of snaps | $50,000 |
45% of snaps | $150,000 |
55% of snaps | $250,000 |
65% of snaps | $350,000 |
75% of snaps | $500,000 |
85% of snaps | $600,000 |
Entering Week 13, he has played in 31% of the offensive snaps, meaning he hasn't even reached the first benchmark, but there's certainly still time to do so. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Week 14 is the first chance that Ragnow could return, but that doesn't appear likely. It seems like the Week 15 contest against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 14 will be the game that Ragnow returns.
That gives Awosika two more weeks to stick in the starting lineup, but there's certainly a cap on his playing time, which will limit his earnings. These are some tough cards that are being dealt to Awosika, but the Lions are looking at the best interest of the team.
And when Ragnow does, in fact, return, it brings more continuity to the offensive line. During the 2024 season, from left to right, Detroit started Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, Ragnow, Christian Mahogany, and Penei Sewell.
When Ragnow officially steps into the starting lineup, the only new face along the offensive line will be Tate Ratledge. The Lions know what these guys are capable of and didn't like what the unit looked like without Ragnow.
It's a bit of a surprise that Ragnow returned, in fact, as the calendar is creeping towards December, but the Lions are happy to get their All-Pro back. That's positive news for the offense and quarterback Jared Goff, but this will certainly cost Awosika some coins and playing time.