The offensive line is the engine that made everything go for Detroit's record-setting offense in 2024.
The Lions led the NFL in points scored (33.2) and touchdowns (70) as they joined the 2000 Rams as the only teams in NFL history to produce a season with at least 35 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns.
Detroit had four players – wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams & running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery – total at least 1,000 scrimmage yards. That's impossible without terrific offensive line play.
Right tackle Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow were both named All-Pro and Pro Bowl players. Guard Kevin Zeitler, guard Graham Glasgow and left tackle Taylor Decker were all named alternates for the Pro Bowl.
Detroit finished third in the NFL in the Stats Inc. Protection Index which measures offensive line play using different statistical elements like passing attempts and yards (excluding yards after the catch), sacks, quarterback knockdowns, hurries and penalties, including holding and false starts to form a numerical index assigned to each team.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes talked about the importance of maintaining their high level of play upfront when asked last week about his priorities this offseason building the roster for 2025.
"I just think you've got to keep the whole garden watered at all points," Holmes said. "And so, it's going to be the whole unit, because I mean, that is – that's the engine for us."
Zeitler is the only starter upfront not under contract in 2025 as he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins in March. Do the Lions think second-year guard Christian Mahogany is ready to step in and play? Is that in place of Zeitler, or does he compete with Glasgow on the other side for time?
"Yeah, I thought Zeitler did a good job this year," Holmes said. "It's different when you're changing completely different schemes and kind of early on, he kind of had to get used to how we were doing things, but once he got adjusted into that, I thought he did a really good job.
"A player of that age (34), you've just got to have conversations with him. We had conversations on exit day and then we'll just continue to have dialog and just kind of see where it goes."
Make no mistake about it, maintaining their high level of play upfront, and maybe even finding ways to improve it even more, is something Holmes sees as a big priority this offseason.
"And so, I don't care how good we ever get on the offensive line, that one right there is too important for not only our team, our quarterback, everything, it's our identity, man," he said. "So, I think just that alone is just – it's always going to be at the forefront."
