Detroit Lions: Graham Glasgow holds keys to running game

Interior linemen Graham Glasgow was arguably the most consistent offensive linemen for the Detroit Lions last season, and that needs to continue in 2018.

All great football teams need to be able to run the football; it keeps defenses honest, opens up the passing game, and ultimately makes the game a lot easier. One of the main reasons the Detroit Lions haven’t been able to make the leap from good to great is their lack of a running game.

Lack of a running game might be a polite way of putting it. As sick as Lions fans are of hearing it, Motor City ranked last in the league in rushing yards and yards per carry this past season, statistically giving them the worst running game in the league.

The only good thing about being ranked last in something is being able to improve upon it next season. It can only go up from here, and drafting interior linemen Frank Ragnow in the first round proves the Lions are focused on developing the running game.

A good offensive line has to be run like a machine, and Graham Glasgow is the most important cog to that machine. Ranked as the 13th most important Lion in 2018 by the Detroit Free Press, Glasgow looks improve upon his solid season in the middle of the offensive line.

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Glasgow was seen as the lone bright spot on one of the worst offensive lines in football last season, making starts at both center and guard. He proved to be a very durable athlete, never missing an offensive snap the entire 2017 season.

By the time the year was over, Glasgow proved to be one of the better offensive linemen in football. He only allowed three sacks all season, and was ranked as the 21st best guard in football, earning high grades in run blocking and pass protection by Pro Football Focus.

After a stellar 2017 season,  better performance come higher expectations for Glasgow. Glasgow now has to go from a contributor to a leader in the offensive line, as it appears he’ll be playing center all season long while Ragnow slots in at left guard to start his professional career.

The transition from left guard to center should be no problem for Glasgow. As hard as it is to make calls at the line in the NFL, he did it well in his time last year, and played center as his primary position back at the University of Michigan, so the move won’t exactly be scary to him.

Moving to center also means Glasgow will have to be a leader on the line. Entering his third year in the league, young guys like Ragnow and rookie offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby will look to Glasgow as a guiding eye to help them smoothen their transition into the NFL.

Glasgow’s knowledge of the Lions pass protection scheme and zone blocking in the running game is more than adequate, and with two years of professional experience under his belt, he’s not scared of facing NFL defensive front sevens anymore.

Hopefully Glasgow continue to improve in 2018, as well as help the young guys get to where they need to be.

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The start of the season is a long way away, so until then, let’s appreciate Glasgow for the player he is and laugh at these hilarious teammate impressions he does with the team on DetroitLions.com. He sounds exactly like movie star Chris Pratt, and hopefully by the time September rolls around, he’ll also be taking out aliens (or defenders) all across the galaxy (or NFL).