Seven-year veteran offensive lineman Frank Ragnow has called it a career in a huge blow for the Detroit Lions. Ragnow spent his entire seven-year career in Detroit and was a key piece of one of the best offensive lines in football last year.
Having also lost Kevin Zeitler in free agency, the Lions now have another hole to fill up front if they’re to maintain one of the scariest run games in the league moving forward.
Frank Ragnow Retires After 7 Years in Detroit
Ragnow was a standout center and was a Day 1 starter after being drafted 20th overall by the team in 2018. A key part of the Dan Campbell-led resurgence in Detroit, Ragnow contributed to the highest-scoring offense in the NFL last season, with the Lions averaging over 33 points per game.
Sources: #Lions All-Pro and Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow, one of the game’s best, has informed the team he plans to retire. A stellar career comes to a close. pic.twitter.com/8ByDj2nqe0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 2, 2025
No doubt a massive blow to a team that had its eyes firmly on a Super Bowl, Ragnow leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the Lions’ offensive line. The team didn’t make a notable signing at the position in free agency and was already likely to be relying on second-round pick Tate Ratledge to fill the void left by Zeitler.
Ragnow, 29, now retires with a sterling reputation across the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in four of his seven seasons in the league and being voted a second-team All-Pro on three occasions.
What Is the Salary Cap Impact of Ragnow’s Retirement
Ragnow had two years remaining on the four-year contract extension he signed in 2021, but he had no guaranteed salary in either remaining year. Regardless of the lack of guaranteed money, the center was due to cost the Lions $14.05 million against the cap in 2025, and $16.35 million in 2026.
Ragnow’s net worth has been reported online as $78,734,930, but his career earnings, to date, stand at $57,304,395, from his Lions contracts alone. Ragnow’s $13.5 million-per-year salary made him the fourth-highest-paid center in the NFL.
If the team needs to delve into free agency for a replacement, pickings are understandably slim at this point in the offseason. Veteran guard Brandon Scherff stands out as the most notable candidate remaining, with Graham Glasgow potentially a candidate to move inside to center, having played there before in Detroit.
If Detroit would prefer to put those funds elsewhere, though, 2025 fifth-round pick Miles Frazier would be an option at guard, with Glasgow again a possibility at center. The timing of Ragnow’s retirement could have been better for the Lions, with options now very limited.