Bold headline: Detroit Lions part ways with Graham Glasgow as offensive overhaul persists
Updated March 2, 2026, 5:43 p.m. ET
Graham Glasgow’s tenure with the Detroit Lions has come to an end, leaving the veteran offensive lineman to decide whether his NFL career will continue elsewhere.
The Lions released Glasgow, 33, on Monday, March 2, a move that frees roughly $5.5 million in salary cap space. The timing came just hours after Detroit traded running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans.
A third-round pick out of Michigan in 2016, Glasgow spent seven of his ten NFL seasons with the Lions. He anchored the line at multiple spots, starting at center and both guard positions during his first stint in Detroit (2016–2019). He then signed with the Denver Broncos as a free agent in 2020 before returning to Detroit in 2023.
Glasgow took to X (formerly Twitter) to express gratitude to the organization and the city.
“I’m grateful for the seven years I’ve spent as a Detroit Lion. I’m thankful for the great teammates, coaches, and friends I had along the way. I love this city and the fans who supported me for almost a decade. There truly was no place I would have rather been.
Whether the times were good or bad, I’m proud of the time I spent here. Detroit and being a Lion have helped shape me into the man I am today, and because of that, they’ll always hold a special place in my heart.
I wish the Lions, especially my former teammates, nothing but the best. I will always root for the guys I shared the field with, and I’ll always be a fan of the team that changed my life. Thank you!”
Impact on the Lions and the offensive line
Glasgow’s role in Detroit shifted over the years. He primarily lined up at right guard in his return season, moved to left guard in 2024 to accommodate Kevin Zeitler, and then moved to center last season after Frank Ragnow’s late-spring retirement.
Last season, Glasgow started 14 games, but the Lions benched him for two games late in the year to rest a sore knee. The team lost both of those games (against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings) and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Glasgow did return to start the season-ending win over the Chicago Bears. When asked about playing in 2026, he replied, “We’ll see.” and added, “I’m still under contract next year, so unless that changes I’m a Detroit Lion. But yeah, I guess, I don’t know.”
What’s next for Lions’ offensive line depth
With Glasgow out, Detroit will explore veteran-center options when the free-agent negotiating period opens on March 9 as part of a broader retooling of an offensive line that struggled without Frank Ragnow in 2025.
Swing tackle Dan Skipper announced his retirement in January and later returned as an offensive assistant. Left tackle Taylor Decker, a 2016 draft classmate of Glasgow, confirmed his return for 2026.
Among free-agent centers, Tyler Linderbaum (Baltimore Ravens) and Connor McGovern (Buffalo Bills) are viewed as the top options, though Detroit has also floated the possibility of moving right guard Tate Ratledge to center. Ratledge, a 2024 second-round pick from Georgia, spent last spring practicing at center and opened training camp there before the Lions shifted Glasgow inside. He showed promise at right guard and has indicated flexibility about where he can help the team.
At locker-cleanout, Ratledge spoke warmly of Glasgow, noting the veteran’s mentorship helped him grow as a rookie. Ratledge recalled Glasgow’s steady guidance when he was facing challenges, saying, “He had the biggest influence on my development.”
Analysts and reporters will be watching Detroit’s personnel moves closely, as the Lions aim to bolster their interior protection and create more consistency up front. Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press and can be reached at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow his coverage on Bluesky, X, and Instagram @davebirkett.
