Pride of Detroit
Detroit’s path to continued to success will be paved by the offensive line, and Kevin Zeitler could be key to getting the job done.
Our 2025 Detroit Lions free agent series continues, where we break down every single individual decision the team must make with their pending free agent class ahead of this offseason.
Next up in the series is a player who the Lions plugged into their offensive line and were rewarded with nearly All-Pro caliber play: Kevin Zeitler.
Here’s a look at our previously-written free agent profiles: WR Tim Patrick
The Lions had a hole in their offensive line when Jonah Jackson decided to sign with the Los Angeles Rams early on in the free agency cycle, but they didn’t bother waiting until the draft to take care of that need. Detroit opted to sign Kevin Zeitler to a one-year, $6 million deal to replace the loss of Jackson, albeit in a roundabout way. The 12-year veteran came to Detroit with the reputation of being an iron man, playing over 1,000 snaps in all but three of his NFL seasons—and primarily doing so at right guard.
So it was Graham Glasgow, coming off an impressive 2023 season where he filled in at right guard and earned himself a contract extension the same day Jackson left for Los Angeles, who needed to move to the other side of Frank Ragnow and make room for Zeitler. Despite knowing the kind of difficult transition it could pose for Glasgow, his versatility assuaged any concerns, and with the arrival of Zeitler, the Lions looked like they were still set up to have one of the best offensive lines in football.
After all, Zeitler’s best ability wasn’t simply his availability. He had been one of the most consistently great guards in the NFL for a decade, especially in pass protection. Zeitler had finished seven seasons as a top-10 guard by PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency (EFF) stat which measures pressure allowed on a per snap basis with a weighting towards sacks allowed. Coming off his first Pro Bowl season in 2023 where he posted the ninth-best EFF rating, he wasn’t a slouch in the run game by any means either, placing 33rd among 64 qualifying guards in PFF’s run block grade.
Detroit was entering the 2024 season with lofty expectations for their offense, and the offensive line—fortified with the addition of Zeitler—felt like it was ready to deliver good on those expectations.
Note: PFF grades combine regular season and playoffs and reflect a minimum 20% snaps at that position
16 games (16 starts)
PFF grade: 86.8 (4th among 83 qualifying OTs — minimum 236 snaps)
PFF pass blocking grade: 71.8 (21st of 78)
PFF run blocking grade: 87.2 (2nd of 81)
The Lions got the exact kind of player as advertised in Zeitler. Not only was he his usual durable self—playing over 1,000 snaps for yet another season—Zeitler submitted one of his...
