The Detroit Lions’ offensive line has been a cornerstone of the team, helping transform the franchise from a struggling organization into one of the league’s top teams in recent years. However, the Lions may face changes in this area for the 2025 season.
First up, guard Kevin Zeitler is set to enter free agency. Zeitler had a stellar first year in Detroit, but at 35 years old, the Lions could have a potential in-house replacement in Christian Mahogany, a 2024 sixth-round pick who impressed in his two starts this season.
The other guard position is also in question after Graham Glasgow’s performance in 2024, which fell short of expectations. Glasgow struggled with both pass protection and run-blocking. The 32-year-old still has two years left on his three-year, $20 million contract.
In a recent article discussing Lions’ potential cut candidates for 2025, Pride of Detroit‘s John Whiticar listed Glasgow as one of them.
As expected, the Lions boasted a strong offensive line in 2024. Free agent addition Kevin Zeitler excelled at right guard, alongside Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, and Penei Sewell. Glasgow, however, became the weak link as his performance declined over the course of the season. With rookie Christian Mahogany showing promising (though limited) play, Glasgow arguably became the sixth-best lineman on the team.
The Lions signed Glasgow to a three-year, $20 million deal last March after his excellent return to Detroit in 2023, but his first season of the contract was disappointing. Now entering his 33rd year, Glasgow appears to be on the downside of his career. Cutting him would result in a $5.3 million dead cap hit but would save around $2 million by parting ways with a declining player.
However, there are challenges in cutting Glasgow. Not only would the Lions face a larger dead cap hit ($5.3 million) than cap savings ($2.1 million), but they could also find themselves needing to replace two guard positions if Zeitler departs.
Given the importance of the offensive line, the Lions should consider re-signing Zeitler and keeping Glasgow, allowing him to compete for a starting spot with Mahogany. If Glasgow loses out, he could still serve as valuable depth at both guard and center.
The most cost-effective but riskier strategy would be to let Zeitler go and start Mahogany and Glasgow at guard. However, this might not be the ideal path for the Lions, considering Glasgow’s 2024 struggles and Mahogany’s lack of experience.
