The Detroit Lions received a "best and worst case scenario" from Bleacher Report, with writer Alex Ballentine attempting to predict the future of a Lions team if they suffer some sort of regression after its 15-2 finish to the 2024 season.
According to Ballentine, Detroit's best case scenario for their offense is that their core of Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs stays atop the league despite a change at offensive coordinator and their interior offensive line losing such a huge piece in Frank Ragnow. This is pretty reasonable to imagine for Detroit.
However, Ballentine's worst case scenario for the Lions' offense is one that could very well be the result of Ragnow's departure - he writes that with Detroit's star center gone, they're losing a key communicator between Goff, the line, and the rest of the offense.
"In most cases, the three most important people involved in scheming an offense are the play-caller, quarterback and center. The pivot is an overlooked position, but the communication between the snapper and the QB is crucial to sorting out protections and making adjustments at the line," Ballentine said about this possibility.
A regression like this would open the door right open for teams like the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, who are already biting at the heels of the Lions in the NFC North. With no Ragnow, it's very well a possibility that Detroit's offense could take some steps back as they get used to whomever they've thrown in at that position for the first time with the Lions.
Worst case scenario prediction would open NFC North up
Detroit is set to be the best NFC North team once again thanks to so much continuity on offense that they're carrying over from 2024, in addition to some added firepower on defense by way of D.J. Reed in the secondary. If they take a step back from "elite to just above average" as Ballentine put it, it would guarantee that one of the Packers or Bears would slide into the top spot in the division.
Ragnow's retirement leaves an irreplaceable hole at center for the Lions, which they're currently trying to fill with the likes of Graham Glasgow and rookie Tate Ratledge. It's going to be impossible to find someone who plays at the same level as Ragnow in the first year since his retirement, but they certainly have the depth to try anyway.
