Detroit Lions offensive linesman break the huddle led by center Frank Ragnow (77) Jonah Jackson (73) Taylor Decker (68) Graham Glasgow (60) during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)AP
ALLEN PARK — Graham Glasgow has already expressed interest in running it back. And the Detroit Lions have told the offensive guard they want to bring him back, too, and why wouldn’t they after the season Glasgow just had?
But this is the NFL, and Glasgow knows it’s out of his hands heading into an offseason full of tough decisions. However, Glasgow’s versatility and potential long-term cost could make him among the team’s top priorities.
Yeah. I’d love to be back here. It’s up to them,” Glasgow said in the locker room earlier this week. “I mean, I have a lot of friends here. I have a lot of new friends that I’ve made even over the past year, which is how the team has been. The culture here, I feel like it’s a place I really fit.
“They’d like me to come back. I mean, it all just, unfortunately, this is the business part of playing professional football. So, we’ll see.”
Glasgow, 31, started at every interior offensive line spot after signing a one-year deal in free agency. And that’s quite the accomplishment after losing a camp battle for the starting guard role to Halapoulivaati Vaitai. If that weren’t enough, Glasgow starred every step of the way, morphing into one of the most vital pieces on this historic run for the franchise.
Pro Football Focus reviewed Glasgow as the ninth-best guard in the league through the regular season and playoffs. Glasgow played 998 snaps at right guard, 189 at center and another 75 on the left side, no easy task. And he was a top-five run blocker at his position, which powered his positive marks from the analytics site.,
“Even with the outcome of the game yesterday (NFC title game), this season was pretty successful,” Glasgow said. “Successful season, you know, we won a lot of games. It’s a shame that things ended the way that they did. But it just happens, one team is only happy at the end of the year, unfortunately.”
A possible wrench to this reunion could be an outside suitor bringing a heavy offer to the table. And while Glasgow took a discount to come home and play with his friends, that situation was much different this time last year. Glasgow was coming off three forgettable, injury-riddled years with the Denver Broncos.
But with Jonah Jackson needing a new deal this offseason, that adds another contributing factor to the mix.
The Lions have built their foundation through the offensive line, spanning multiple regimes, making it tough to imagine that they would take a risk and allow a hole to form in the trenches. Jackson is coming off his most challenging season in the pros, no doubt. But he’s a proven road-grading guard, and at just 26 years old, could be a further long-term investment into this mighty offensive line.
And while Glasgow was one of the game’s best on the ground, he allowed 46 pressures in pass protection, the third most among guards with enough snaps to qualify. Conversely, Jackson allowed 27 pressures across 480 pass-blocking reps, per PFF. Those figures align with his career marks, and outside of two ugly showings down the stretch, he was strong in pass protection while playing through wrist and ankle injuries.
And PFF has been projecting free-agent contracts for a couple of years running, with an impressively accurate showing last year, for what it’s worth.
They rank Glasgow 122nd among upcoming free agents, projecting his next deal at $6.5 million over two years, with the first season guaranteed. As for Jackson? He’s ranked 94th among pending free agents, with a new deal projected at three years totaling $30.75 million with $16.75 million guaranteed. It’s worth noting that his down season and multiple injuries, with knee surgery keeping him out of the NFC title game, have likely driven down his ranking and expected cost.
Glasgow’s versatility, recent play and price could be a driving factor, especially with likely new deals for Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, among others, on the horizon in Detroit. But Jackson has been a key part of this rebuild, and that estimated price isn’t as spicy as some would have thought this time last year.
