Our positional stock report series, which will analyze the Detroit Lions roster’s risers and fallers for the whole season, will begin with this installment. We begin with the offensive line today. Examine your movers:
Be prepared: Graham Glasgow, G/C
That’s saying a lot because Graham Glasgow was possibly the best offensive lineman for the Lions this season. Although Glasgow isn’t an All-Pro like Frank Ragnow or Penei Sewell, he came back to Detroit with a mission. Glasgow assumed the starting role without missing a beat after Halapoulivaati Vaitai sustained an injury and never looked back.
His ability to step in at center during Frank Ragnow’s absences was similarly outstanding, demonstrating his versatility. In the NFL, mobility is a highly valuable skill that is difficult to quantify. Glasgow made a strong comeback to Detroit, and he’s currently playing some of his finest ball.
Be prepared: Penei Sewell, T.
Regardless of what happens next, it’s not out of the question that Penei Sewell ends up being Brad Holmes’ best draft choice ever. Sewell was named to the first team of the All-Pro team, indicating that he is one of the NFL’s finest offensive tackles, if not the best.
Sewell recorded the greatest run-blocking grade in PFF history in just one game and concluded the 2023 campaign as the league’s top-rated offensive lineman. the crowning glory? This guy is only twenty-three years old.
Down on stocks: Jonah Jackson, G
Jonah Jackson, who only appeared in 12 of the Lions’ 20 games this season, had a difficult year. It was obvious that he was frequently still hurting while he played.
The Lions must make the intriguing choice this offseason on whether to pay Jackson. When healthy, I still believe he’s one of the top interior lineman in the league, so I hope he and the Lions can work out a deal that will satisfy both parties. Still, things may work out either way.
Stock up: Frank Ragnow, C. Ragnow was ranked among the league’s top centers going into the season and rose even farther. Though facing a long list of first-team All-Pro recognition from Pro Football Focus and second-team All-Pro recognition from the Associated Press.
Ragnow remained one of the most valuable players for the Lions offense, giving Jared Goff a wide pocket to work with. This year, his lone noteworthy setback occurred against Vita Vea—a matchup that isn’t really fair to anyone. Another outstanding year for one of the hidden heroes of the Lions.
G. Halapoulivaati Vaitai, stock down
Big V has a history of injuries going into 2023, particularly after missing all of 2022’s games. His case was not aided by this season. Throughout the season, he would appear in just six games, start three of them, and lose his starting position to Graham Glasgow even after Vaitai made a full recovery from his injury.
Although Vaitai has made great progress as a guard since joining Detroit, the one thing he hasn’t been able to give the Lions is availability.
Neutral stocks: Taylor Decker, T.
Decker continues to be one of the team’s most undervalued players at a position where many people overlook it unless something goes wrong. It’s a good thing we didn’t hear Decker’s name for the majority of the season.
While Decker did have a few poor games in the middle of the season, overall, he was just as reliable on the left side of the line as he had been in previous years. Like the rest of the offense, he had a scorching finish to the season. Distracted by Penei Sewell’s performance in the divisional round was that Decker finished another strong season as the divisional round’s highest-graded pass blocker.
