Detroit Lions offensive tackle Jeff Backus (76) and quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) in a huddle with teammates during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The news that Jeff Backus had decided to retire came as somewhat of a surprise today. He never stated he would return but Backus was still a functional left tackle and had recently been working out at the team’s facility.

Still, his heart led him to make the decision to retire and so the Lions will look for someone else to protect their franchise quarterback’s blindside.

It was obvious how much respect Backus has in the Lions locker room. A number of players sent out tweets about him after the news broke. Here are some of them:

I will miss having JB guarding my blindside this year. Jeff is a pro that all of us aspire to be on and off the field. A great warrior! #76

— Matthew Stafford (@Staff_9) March 14, 2013

Just got word Backus is retiring…12 solid years what an accomplishment! Best of luck!

— Nick Fairley (@Nick_Fairley251) March 14, 2013

Sad to hear the retirement of Jeff backus… One of the hardest working men in the NFL. True warrior

— Travis Lewis (@TravisLewis28) March 14, 2013

Jeff Backus was a warrior and a pros pro…

— Lawrence Jackson (@LoJackson94) March 14, 2013

The Detroit Lions announced today that Jeff Backus has decided to retire. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions already had a fluid offensive line situation but that just got a lot more uncertain. Jeff Backus had a year remaining on the two-year deal he signed last offseason but he has decided to retire the team announced today:

Lions have announced that longtime starting left tackle Jeff Backus has decided to retire after 12 NFL seasons.

— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) March 14, 2013

That means the Lions will have at least three new starters along their offensive line next season. In addition to the left tackle spot long held by Backus, the Lions released right guard Stephen Peterman and right tackle Gosder Cherilus signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent this week.

Riley Reiff is a possibility to fill any of the three spots while Jason Fox is a candidate at right tackle and right guard and Corey Hilliard re-signed earlier in the offseason with the expectation that he would compete for the starting job at right tackle.

This news makes an offensive tackle even more of an option with the fifth overall pick in next month’s draft than it already was. While Luke Joeckel is expected to be drafted before the Lions’ pick, perhaps number one overall, the Lions may have a shot at Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan.

Backus released the following statement via DetroitLions.com:

“Today, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s time for me to hang up my cleats and retire. It’s a bittersweet moment, but I’m content knowing I gave everything I had, played as hard as I could and tried my best to live up to the standards I believe in.

“I want to thank the Ford Family and the Detroit Lions for allowing me the privilege to represent the city of Detroit and play in the National Football League for the last 12 years. I also want to thank all of my coaches and teammates for all their support over the years.

“To the fans of Detroit, I thank you for the support and loyalty you have shown the Lions and myself. You deserve a winner.

“I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Coach Carr and everyone at the University of Michigan, who all played such an important role in my development as a player and a person.

“Most importantly, I want to thank my wife, my parents, my brother, all of my family and friends, and my agent Pat Dye Jr. Your unwavering support, guidance and sacrifices allowed me to follow my dream of playing in the NFL. I could never thoroughly explain how much that has meant to me.

“To my dad, you set the standards I live by. Your support and unbelievable perseverance motivates me daily to be the best that I can be. Thanks!

“Looking forward, I wish the entire Detroit Lions organization and all Lions’ fans the best. I will always be a Lion at heart.”

Nov 18, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions tackle Gosder Cherilus (77) sits on the bench with his teammates during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Packers beat the Lions 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Today we take a look at how the Detroit Lions’ offensive tackles performed during the 2012 season with a little help from the fine folks at Pro Football Focus.

The radar chart below shows the Pro Football Focus grades for the Lions’ offensive tackles that played at least 25% of team snaps and compares them to the best, worst and league average ratings. PFF grades each player on each play to produce a massively useful tool for evaluating the totality of a player’s season compared to others at his position.

2012 Season Review
Jeff Backus – 2012 was a tough season for Jeff Backus. He missed a game for the first time in his career and he finished below average in PFF’s overall rating. He posted a good +8.4 rating in pass blocking but his -12.1 run blocking grade was the third worst among the 80 offensive tackles who played at least 25% of his team’s snaps. For the first time in his career, Backus missed a game due to injury.

Gosder Cherilus – Rob Sims won the team’s vote for offensive line MVP but it was Gosder Cherilus who posted the highest PFF grade. In fact, his +23.5 overall rating was tied for seventh best among all offensive tackles and second only to Andre Smith among right tackles. Cherilus did in mostly on the strength of a +21.1 pass block rating, fifth best in the NFL. He has now been rated as solidly positive every year excluding his rookie season – a fact overshadowed by some puzzling and boneheaded decisions that often draw penalties. Cherilus got dinged by PFF for penalties again this year, but his fine season still needs to be recognized.

Riley Reiff – The Lions offense had issues overall but offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did a great job of getting Riley Reiff involved as a useful part of the offense even though he didn’t win a starting spot on the offensive line. He was an important part of getting something out of the running game, and it shows up in his +6.4 run blocking grade from PFF. Of some concern may be that his lowest individual game rating game in his only start at left tackle, a -2.1 against the Houston Texans. Stepping into a spot start in a matchup with J.J. Watt is a tall order. Reiff graded out as a +0.6 in pass blocking that game but was dragged down by a -2.9 in run blocking, his only solidly negative run block rating of the year.

Offseason Plan
Oh how I would love the draft to come before the start of free agency. Since it doesn’t, the Lions should make retaining Gosder Cherilus a priority. He’s still on the right side of 30-years old and coming off his best season as a pro. The Lions have some issues that need to be improved on the offensive line but Gosder Cherilus isn’t one of them. Keep Cherilus and right tackle is taken care of for at least the next few years.

I have defended Jeff Backus as the victim of overly harsh criticism from Lions fans over the years. He wasn’t a Pro Bowl left tackle but he wasn’t terrible outside of Mike Martz’s madness that leads to all his quarterbacks getting sacked a bunch of times. Backus has been solid and dependable but he took a step back in both regards this year. At this point in his career, Backus won’t get better, he’ll only get worse. It’s time for the Lions to move on and use the cap space elsewhere.

That makes Riley Reiff the team’s left tackle pending what happens in the draft. If the Lions find themselves without the option of taking a blue chip pass rusher, I’m all for them taking either Luke Joeckel or Eric Fisher (why I wish the draft was before the free agency period). Doing so would put Reiff in limbo but it gives the Lions the choice of trading Cherilus (assuming he is retained as I have suggested) or to take advantage of Reiff’s versatility and play him at guard or as an extra tackle as he was used in 2012.

Previously: Wide Receivers

*Those that have been around the Detroit Lions blogosphere for a while may recognize the approach presented as similar to Ty Schalter’s ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ series on The Lions in Winter. Don’t worry, he’s cool with what I’m doing here and has assured me that he’ll be back with Old Mother Hubbard later in the offseason.