Sportsnaut
While they may have been internally preparing for the move all offseason, the Detroit Lions were still dealt a blow when four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired earlier this week. The Lions did select former Georgia guard Tate Ratledge in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he has been seeing reps at center, but he’s never played a snap in the pros.
Thus, for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the Lions may want to have a contingency plan in place to help make up for Ragnow’s loss. While center may not be as crucial as left tackle, they still play a very pivotal role, making line calls for their peers. In other words, the Lions need to make sure their starter is prepared for every scenario thrown his way.
Recently, NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice proposed that the Lions trade for Los Angeles Rams center Beaux Limmer. A 2024 sixth-round pick by the Rams, Limmer went on to start 14 games in Los Angeles as a rookie. However, the Rams also signed former Bears center Coleman Shelton to compete at the position this offseason, possibly making Limmer more expendable.
As noted, the Lions already brought Colon in to help compete with Ratledge, but Limmer could provide a better short and long-term solution in Detroit. Plus, since he’s a former sixth-round pick, trading for Limmer likely wouldn’t cost all that much. Yet, he could also still be in the Rams’ long-term plans, effectively making a trade difficult to pull off.
Related: 4 Trey Hendrickson trade offers emerge from NFL insiders
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