The Detroit Lions made an expected move on Monday when they released starting center Graham Glasgow. The move saved Detroit $5.5 million in salary cap space, and it appeared that it ended Glasgow’s career as the 33-year-old noted it would take a “good team and a perfect scenario” to get him to keep playing during a livestream on Monday night.
One day later, it appears that an opportunity may have popped up.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Chicago Bears starting "center Drew Dalman has informed the team that he is retiring from the NFL at the age of 27." The move is seismic, as the Bears will dive into a free agent market that already includes the Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings as potential suitors.
It could also see Glasgow continue his career in a potential reunion with former Lions offensive coordinator and current Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who could convince him to return for an 11th season.
Ex-Lion Graham Glasgow Could Reunite with Bears HC Ben Johnson After Drew Dalman’s Retirement
If Glasgow follows through on retirement, he’ll have played a full career in the NFL.
A third-round draft pick by the Lions in the 2016 NFL draft, Glasgow appeared in 147 total games and made 136 starts, which included a detour with the Denver Broncos from 2020 to 2022. Upon his return to Detroit in 2023, he played under Johnson, starting 45 out of a possible 51 games, with time at right guard and center.
While Glasgow has been a lunchpail player throughout his career, last year showed signs of decline. According to Pro Football Focus, Glasgow’s overall grade of 56.8 was his lowest since his rookie season (53.7) in 2016, but he had something left in the tank, allowing 19 pressures and one sack on 495 pass-blocking attempts.
An aging center with some flaws wasn’t likely to get paid on the free agent market, but Dalman’s retirement creates an opportunity. While Glasgow would have previously had to have been a backup with Dalman at center and Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson at the guard spots, he can slide into the center position if he chooses to go to Chicago.
It would also fulfill Glasgow’s other requirement of playing for a good team. The Bears won their first division title since 2018 and are expecting to take another step forward in 2026, and Glasgow could be a part of that while playing for a familiar coach.
The move could bite the Lions, who found a potential replacement in Juice Scruggs on Monday. They would face Glasgow twice in this scenario, but may also have a better understanding of what Glasgow was thinking after Monday’s release.
Unfortunately, the circumstances have changed, and Glasgow could find a new team and hope across rivalry lines in the NFC North after Tuesday’s news.