5 Detroit Lions who are certified building blocks for the future
. 2. player. C. 50. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Frank Ragnow
The 2021 season will go down as mostly a lost one for Ragnow, as he missed all but four games with a toe injury. But he is still regarded as one of the best centers in the NFL looking to this year, with Pro Football Focus grades that are trending up over the last three seasons.
Coming off his Pro Bowl selection in 2020, in May 2021, the Lions made Ragnow one of the highest-paid centers in the league with a four-year, $54 million contract extension. That deal, tacked on to his rookie deal as a first-round pick, keeps him technically under contract in Detroit through the 2026 season.
The Lions have committed to building one of the best offensive lines in the league, with three first-round picks and another apparent find (left guard Jonah Jackson) who went to the Pro Bowl as an alternate last year.
Ragnow has a case for No. 1 on this list, and almost got the honor. The man who’ll man the middle of the Detroit offensive line for years to come just turned 26 in May. So he may not be going anywhere for a long while, even once his contract extension would be set to expire as-is right now.