Who is replacing Frank Ragnow as the Lions’ center?

The Detroit Lions will be without Frank Ragnow for at least three games, so who will replace him at center?

The Detroit Lions came out of Week 4 against the Chicago Bears with two significant injuries. Defensive end Romeo Okwara is out for the season with a torn Achilles, and center Frank Ragnow suffered a turf toe injury that landed him on IR this week.

Ragnow earned his first career Pro Bowl nod last season, and he has started all 49 games he has played now into his fourth season. Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-10 center in the league in 2019 (sixth) and 2020 (second). Through four weeks this year, PFF again graded Ragnow highly.

In May, with two years left on his rookie deal, the Lions made Ragnow the league’s highest-paid center with a four-year, $54 million contract extension through 2026 ($42 million guaranteed).

Replacing Ragnow seamlessly is not possible, but the Lions are left to fill his spot. This week’s signing of Ryan McCollum off the Houston Texans’ practice squad added an option, but he won’t be stepping right into a starting spot Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Lions: Who is replacing Frank Ragnow?

With Ragnow leaving last Sunday’s game after just 11 snaps, Evan Brown stepped in and played the remaining 60 snaps at center for the Lions. Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, head coach Dan Campbell was largely complementary of Brown’s performance.

“I thought he played well,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “I thought he was solid. I thought he went in and really didn’t miss a beat. There was really only a couple of plays that I know he wishes he would have back, but I thought he went in and did a good job.”

Brown is in his fourth NFL season. He made the New York Giants roster as an undrafted rookie out of SMU in 2018, but he did not appear in a game. He spent most of the following season on the Giants’ practice squad, before landing on the Miami Dolphins active roster.

Brown started the 2020 campaign with the Cleveland Browns, before landing on the Lions’ practice squad and eventually appearing in two late-season games. All told, he has appeared in 15 NFL games with 142 offensive snaps.

The drop-off from Ragnow to Brown is natural and obvious. For at least the next three games, with a bye in Week 9 possibly pushing the Lions to keep Ragnow out Week 8 too, Brown will try to hold down the fort in the middle of the offensive line.