Pro Football Focus guard rankings show how Detroit Lions upgraded smartly

When it became inevitable the Detroit Lions were going to lose left guard Jonah Jackson in free agency, the challenge became finding a way to sufficiently fill the spot on one of the best offensive lines in the league.

Signing veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler seemed to get that done, even if it meant moving Graham Glasgow to the other side of center Frank Ragnow. Zeitler has been a top-notch guard in the league for years, and there's a solid argument that the Detroit offensive line is improved by his presence.

Jackson departed for a big contract with the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions have to draw lines in some places when it comes to paying people, and Jackson was someone where a line had to be drawn. Good on him for getting paid though, and we should never begrudge an NFL player for striking when the financial iron is hot.

PFF guard rankings show how Lions smartly upgraded this offseason

It's position ranking season for a segment of those who cover the NFL, and Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top-32 guards in the league going into the 2024 season.

The Lions now have two guards who were graded out as top-15 guards by PFF last year (Glasgow tied for No. 8: Zeitler No. 15). Glasgow had a top-five run blocking grade at the position (82.1), and Zeitler had the second-best pass blocking grade (82.3).

In Valentine's rankings, Zeitler is No. 6.

"Zeitler earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career in 2023, a long-overdue accolade for the veteran guard. He has consistently been one of the best pass-blocking guards in the NFL since he was drafted by the Bengals in 2012.

After three years with the Ravens, Zeitler joined the Lions this offseason and will become an integral part of an already stellar offensive line. His 82.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2023 ranked second, and his pass-blocking grade has dipped below 70.0 only once in his career, back in 2020."

Glasgow lands at No. 27.

Glasgow returned to the Lions in 2023 after three seasons with the Denver Broncos and slotted in at right guard. The veteran earned a 75.1 PFF overall grade in 16 games, the eighth highest among all guards in 2023, while his 82.1 run-blocking grade ranked fifth.

"He was rewarded with a three-year, $20 million contract to return to the Lions in the offseason and will resume his role.... on one of the best offensive lines in the NFL."

Glasgow is moving to left guard, but he played the spot capably over his first two NFL seasons after he was drafted by the Lions in 2016.

Jackson came in at No. 30 in PFF's guard rankings. Matt Broder of Woodward Sports noted the average annual salaries of the top-32. Of the 23 who aren't on a rookie contract or still available (Mark Glowinski), Zeitler ($6 million) and Glasgow ($6.6 million) have the third and fourth lowest average salaries respectively. And Zeitler is on a one-year deal.

Of the 23 guards in PFF's top-32 who aren't on a rookie contract or still available (Mark Glowinski), Zeitler ($6 million) and Glasgow ($6.6 million) have the third and fourth lowest average salaries respectively. And Zeitler is on a one-year deal.

So the Lions not only upgraded a guard spot that could have become a weak link on their offensive line with Jackson's departure, they did so in a smart way by signing Zeitler to the deal they did. Other teams could take a lesson.