Lions center Frank Ragnow has agreed to a brand new four-year deal (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The extension will position Ragnow as the highest-paid center in NFL history and keep the young center in Detroit through 2026. 
On average, Ragnow will make $13.5MM per year (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). In total, the deal is worth approximately $70MM with $25.5MM fully guaranteed and $42MM in total guarantees. That’s not chump change, but new Lions GM Brad Holmes has long said that he’d be willing to pay the price.
“It’s extremely important. We already view him as a long-term piece and he is a foundational piece because Frank is a guy that plays the game the right way,” Holmes said (via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com). “He’s everything that we look for and what we want as a Lion. I’ll never forget when it first got announced that I got the job, Frank reached out immediately. I told him, ‘Man, huge fan of you and you play the game the right way.’ So, very important to get it done. Not going to comment on timetable right now — that would be a little bit premature — but we’re not sitting back and waiting on that one.”
Ragnow has been first-string for the Lions ever since he was taken with the No. 20 overall pick in 2018. At first, the Lions used the Arkansas product at left guard. In 2019, they shifted him to the middle. He’s started in every game since, save for three missed contests due to injury.
Earlier this spring, the Lions made the easy call to pick up Ragnow’s fifth year for $12.657MM. Now, Ragnow has a fresh deal to top Chargers center Corey Linsley for the richest contract at the position.
Well deserved. Dude is nasty.
Good deal for both sides.
Great player-Great guy- Great deal!
Good job Brad!
It’s rather surprising to see the Lions set any kind of salary standard. They wouldn’t pony up the dollars to retain All Pro talent like Slay or Golladay.
Slay’s talent was rapidly declining, and they loved Okudah coming out of OSU. Telegraphed their draft intentions, but they didn’t care. As for Golladay, I think it’s quite apparent the kid is a decent talent, but also quite apparent he couldn’t stand the losing and decided to feign multiple mysterious injuries to get out of having to play and lose, and risk actual injury that could jeopardize his future playing for a team he actually wanted to be part of.
He went to the Giants to win?
Giants could easily win the NFC East, you think the Lions would be better? Barkley, Engram and the kid they just drafted sure looks pretty attractive compared to Goff and …who? And yeah, the Giants grossly overpaid for him, so I’m sure that didn’t hurt when he made his decision (not to mention the allure of playing in the big city compared to Detroit), haha!
Slay was regressing and Golladay couldn’t stay healthy. That said, I wish Kenny was still a Lion.
I’m not sure about the coach, he seems like a moon bat, but the gm is doing a sneaky good job this offseason. I loved their draft.
Campbell scarily reminds me of Schwartz, just like the offensive minded version
He reminds me of Vrabel’s crazy older brother
HAHA! Nice.
Watch the entire press conference and not just the quote that got national attention. Dan Campbell has been extremely impressive in all of his meetings with the press. The man oozes charisma.
If he can coach half as well as he can give a motivational speech he’ll be the best Lions coach in decades.
I think there are plenty of terrible coaches that could deliver a motivational speech. Tony Robbins could do it although he probably knows little about coaching football. Understanding motivational psychology is something completely different though and I think the two best at that might have been George Allen and Al Davis.
Center touches the ball on every play, calls out the protections and the record deal is like what 7M less per year than Trent Williams record deal? Eat more kids, carry around 2 45 lb weights so your arms get longer and play LT don’t settle for Guard or Center or RT.
Time to get that bigger boat Frank!
Love this move by Brad Holmes and the Lions. Frank Ragnow has done nothing but great things since he arrived in Detroit. Now we get to see him lead the unit past 2026. Well done.
I wanted Golladay back as much as the last guy but the price was crazy high and coming of injuries and the feel of not wanting to be here, just made sense to let him walk. The WR room is weak as hell now though but I think the draft gave us a few gems to go with a underrated Cephus.
The new power regime in Detroit has been doing well.