The Detroit Lions’ offense functions at a superior level when they have a robust offensive line.
When all five of their starters are fit, they have an almost perfect record.At tackle, Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell provide the unit’s bookends, and Graham Glasgow, Frank Ragnow, and Jonah Jackson provide the team’s senior core.
But injuries have occasionally plagued the team, and they will have to make a number of tough choices before the next offseason. Jackson and Glasgow’s contracts are among them; at the conclusion of the season, both players will be free agents.
Jackson has been a left guard for four years, and injuries have disrupted his season. This season, he has missed five games in all.
This means assessing his future standing will be difficult. He was predicted to be performing at a high level and has the opportunity to play his way into a significant increase after being selected for the Pro Bowl in 2021.
But his progress has been hampered by his ailments. When it comes to his on-field performance, Jackson has not come close to meeting the expectations he had set for himself in previous years.
He has been by far the lowest-graded starting unit member by Pro Football Focus going into the last week of the regular season. With 11 appearances, he has an overall score of 58.8, and in six of those, he received a grade below a 60.0.
Jackson has given up 23 pressures, 8 quarterback hits, and 2 sacks on 398 pass-blocking snaps. In contrast, he gave up only 26 pressures on 494 snaps and just a single sack a year ago.
Given his decreased output and the setbacks from injuries, Jackson’s future prospects may be questionable.
Glasgow, though, has outperformed all predictions. The veteran was brought in to challenge Halapoulivaati Vaitai, the team’s current starter, and to offer depth at several positions. He has since developed into a vital member of the offensive line.
Following Vaitai’s season-ending injury in Week 2, Glasgow moved into the right guard spot and hasn’t looked back.
This season, the Michigan product has started at guard and center in place of Frank Ragnow due to injury. Glasgow’s total PFF grade is 77.7.
Glasgow had appeared to regress in his play while with the Denver Broncos prior to moving to Detroit. After last season, the Broncos terminated him due to his poor grades, but since joining the Lions again, he appears to be in better shape.
Jackson and Glasgow are both compelling cases for the Lions. The team’s success has been greatly attributed to both individuals, and since Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell assumed leadership, the club has placed a premium on cultural fit when recalling important players.
Next season, Penei Sewell will be starting the last year of his rookie contract. In order to add another year, the team will probably exercise his fifth-year option, but in the upcoming season, he is due for a significant deal.
Next season, fellow tackle Taylor Decker—a member of the Lions since his draft selection in 2016—will begin the last year of his contract.
Managing the cap will be difficult for the team because other important core players, like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jared Goff, are also eligible for extensions.
It’s wise to monitor both for the balance of Detroit’s season as a result. Although the Lions’ offensive line has been strong lately, there’s a chance that new players will be on it in the upcoming campaign.
Rebuilding depth through the Draft is one way to accomplish this; the team accomplished this last season when they selected Colby Sorsdal in the fifth round.
What does the Lions most need in the offseason?
But the Lions’ needs this offseason are greater than those of the offensive line, so it makes sense for them to use their cap room to improve their defense. The secondary and pass-rush are in most need of an improvement.
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