The Detroit Lions have had stellar play from their offensive line for the past couple of NFL seasons.
In a recent 2024 ranking of offensive line units by PFF, the Lions have the No. 1 ranked group in the entire league.
As PFF explained, “When healthy, the Lions’ offensive line was arguably the best unit in the NFL last season. Right tackle Penei Sewell was the league’s highest-graded offensive lineman, and Frank Ragnow earned the top spot among centers.”
Detroit lost left guard Jonah Jackson in free agency, but were able to secure a veteran right guard in Kevin Zeitler. Graham Glasgow is returning for another season, after a solid 2023 season in his return to Motown.
“Although the unit lost right guard Jonah Jackson in free agency, the Rams signed veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, who ranked 15th in PFF grade among guards in 2023.”
Offensive line coach Hank Fraley discussed not having veterans like Zeitler and Taylor Decker participating much in OTA’s and minicamps this spring.
“We’ll really get it when training camp comes up front, when the pads go on. We like to joke around this is like being in underwear for us up front, D-line and O-line, it’s tough. That’s when we’re gonna join, get it,” said Fraley. “But the communication and how people see things and, when they were out here working together, how things are done. For someone like (Kevin) Zeitler coming here, I might be just a little bit different than how he was doing it in Baltimore or I say it a little bit different and it means the same exact thing.
“That communication part was big for him, being around, and then for everybody to hear it, the new guys we brought in. But for the most part, besides the rookies, it was only Kevin,” Fraley commented further. “So, it’s been a good thing, it’s just the language we use and that’s the thing, how we identify things and that’s what he needed this year.”
Additional reading
1.) Pre-Training Camp Lions 53-Man Roster Prediction
2.) James Houston 2024 Stat Prediction
