The Detroit Lions have been without center Frank Ragnow for the duration of their offseason program.
He was among a lengthy list of players not participating in the practice open to the media Friday, and reports indicate that his absence from the voluntary workouts is related to the state of his current contract.
Last year’s highest PFF-graded run-blocking center has two years remaining on his contract and is set to make $9.15 million this season, but the salary for this year and next is not guaranteed.
As a result, Ragnow is likely desiring to garner a new contract with more guaranteed money. He’s currently the fourth-highest paid player at his position in the league and is entering his age-29 season.
Though Dan Campbell expressed that he was not concerned about the absence of two unnamed players, one presumably being Ragnow, the absence of a new deal could potentially lead to a hold out from the center when training camp rolls around.
As a result, it’s worth exploring what a new deal looks like for Ragnow that could be satisfying for both parties. Ragnow is under contract through the 2026 campaign, meaning any extension would take effect beginning with the 2027 season.
When evaluating what the Lions could offer Ragnow in 2027, it’s important to consider multiple factors. First, the team has approximately $76 million in cap space that year with the largest cap hits currently belonging to Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Taylor Decker.
Another element of this is the fact that due to the fifth-year option, any contract extension for Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams would take effect beginning in 2027. The same can be said for 2023 draft picks that do not have a fifth-year option in their contract, including Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta.
Additionally, the Lions could have the fifth-year options for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell on the books for that season.
Because these players, including Ragnow, could all command hefty sums of money, the Lions will be forced to act wisely with the amount they currently have available.
Ragnow also has a history of injury that could cause for some concern. He missed a majority of the 2021 season with a toe injury, and in 2023 spent most of the season playing through injuries to his calf, knee, ankle and back. Last season, he suffered a partially torn pec but missed only one game.
As one of the toughest players in the league, Ragnow has garnered a reputation for being able to withstand and play through injuries and ailments. He’s earned four Pro Bowl nods and has been a Second-Team AP All-Pro three times, including each of the last two years.
On the flip side, the injuries could be a factor in holding the Lions back from ultimately making the move. Detroit also has a surplus of young offensive linemen, and second-round pick Tate Ratledge is already getting work with the first-team at center in Ragnow’s absence.
The Arkansas product has undoubtedly earned his spot among the game’s best, and deserves to be compensated as such. If the injuries are a long-term cause for concern, the Lions could shift to a shorter-term deal on top of the two seasons he has on his current deal.
To properly structure the contract, the Lions could choose to offer Ragnow a three-year extension worth $48 million. This average annual value of this contract, $16 million, would put him behind only Creed Humphrey and Cam Jurgens amidst the highest-paid centers in the league.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes has proven to be a strong navigator of the salary cap, as the team has structured many of their contracts with low early cap hits and void years built in to space out the cap hits.
In a hypothetical Ragnow extension, the Lions could exercise similar maneuvers to appease their current cap situation.
To do so, Detroit could load the guarantees in the first two years and put an option bonus with no guaranteed money in the third year of the extension that could give the team an out following the 2028 season ahead of what would be Ragnow’s age-33 season.
However, if Ragnow continues to perform at a high level through that year, Detroit could simply keep him on the roster and pick up the option bonus for 2029.
Predicting Ragnow’s future with the team is a tricky maneuver, as he still has two years remaining with the team and the market for centers could certainly fluctuate.
There’s no doubt he is the centerpiece of one of the league’s best offensive lines and deserves to be compensated as such, but the decisions made on players such as Hutchinson, Williams, Branch, LaPorta, Gibbs and Campbell hold weight in what the team ultimately decides to do.
Prediction: Three years, $48 million ($32 million guaranteed)
