We proceed our Detroit Lions free-agent profiles collection for the 2023-2024 season with a fan favourite in offensive lineman Graham Glasgow. Glasgow returned to the Lions in 2023 after getting launched by the Denver Broncos after the 2022 season. The offensive line is a very powerful place group for this entrance workplace and training employees, and after having a profitable yr, they won’t need to shake issues up.

Let’s take a deeper take a look at the case for re-signing Glasgow.

Here’s a take a look at our previously-written free agent profiles: WR Josh Reynolds, G Halapoulivaati Vaitai and EDGE Romeo Okwara.

Graham Glasgow

Expectations heading into 2023

Glasgow was introduced in to struggle for the beginning proper guard spot on the offensive line. The Lions had veteran guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai getting back from a again damage and the teaching employees needed a backup plan they might belief if Vaitai couldn’t go. Glasgow was additionally introduced again on only a one-year contract, so if issues didn’t work out in 2023, the group might transfer on to another person.

Glasgow was excited to be again in Detroit and the state of Michigan, the place he went to varsity and performed together with his mates, left sort out Taylor Decker and heart Frank Ragnow. He needed to do it once more and compete for a beginning job to assist contribute to the group’s success.

Actual position in 2023

Note: PFF grades mix common season and playoffs and replicate a minimal 20% snaps at that place

Regular season — 17 video games (15 begins): 39 pressures allowed, 30 hurries allowed, seven QB hits allowed, 5 penalties, and two sacks allowed.

PFF Offensive grade: 75.1 (eighth of 62 guards with no less than 1187 snaps)
PFF Run Blocking grade: 82.1 (fifth of 62)
PFF Pass Blocking grade: 56.2 (fifty fifth of 62)

Postseason — 3 video games (3 begins): seven pressures allowed, 5 hurries allowed, one QB hit allowed, and one sack allowed.

PFF Offensive grade: 68.1 (tenth of 31 guards with no less than 209 snaps)
PFF Run Blocking grade: 71.5 (eighth of 31)
PFF Pass Blocking grade: 51.1 (twenty second of 31)

During coaching camp when Ragnow was coping with his toe damage and getting days off, Glasgow would shift over to heart. This didn’t give him as a lot time at proper guard to compete towards Vaitai, and the teaching employees began the season with Vaitai because the starter. Glasgow wasn’t proud of how coaching camp labored out for him, however he accepted the backup job to begin the season.

The backup job wasn’t for lengthy, as Vaitai would undergo a knee damage, forcing him to overlook back-to-back video games early on within the season. While Vaitai did return in Week 5, he would follow particular groups apart from Week 7 when he obtained the beginning over Glasgow. Vaitai would undergo a again damage in that recreation, and Glasgow took over the beginning job for the remainder of the season and thrived.

Outlook for 2024

Contract standing: Unrestricted free agent

Why Detroit should re-sign Glasgow

Glasgow had among the finest seasons of his profession to date. The Lions have to have a robust offensive line to make their offense pretty much as good as it’s. They have the middle and each sort out positions discovered, however each guard spots are presently crammed with gamers on expiring contract. Compared to left guard Jonah Jackson, Glasgow is a better determination to make, each financially and simply total match on the group.

The Lions have to maintain Glasgow round to maintain the unity of the offensive line. If the Lions aren’t in a position to maintain Glasgow, they must look in the direction of the draft or free company to discover a substitute, and whereas that may work, an offensive line is stronger when there’s chemistry and continuity. He was additionally the fan favourite for the Lions to re-sign in 2024.

Glasgow is getting older. He will probably be 32 in 2024, however it is going to be attention-grabbing to see what sort of contract he’s searching for. He likes enjoying together with his mates, and if he was keen to take much less cash in 2023 to play in Detroit, he appears doubtless to take action once more this yr. But he additionally made it clear he thinks his degree of play earned a elevate, and this can be one among his final probabilities to earn a pleasant payday within the NFL.

“I think I had a really good year, probably top one or two of my career. I would like to make more money than I did this year and I would assume the guys upstairs know and understand that,” Glasgow mentioned. “I feel like stuff like this kind of works. Hopefully, we’ll be able to work through it.”

His contract was for $4.5 million final season, and the pay elevate could not have to be huge to maintain him round. I might see him doing one other one-year deal for round $6 million, however I would like a two-year deal for $11-13 million to make sure Detroit doesn’t should take care of this once more in 2025.

Is there curiosity from either side?

Yes, either side appear to be on the identical web page heading into free company. Glasgow desires to return to Detroit, and the entrance workplace desires him again as nicely.

“They said, ‘We’d like to have you back and we appreciate what you did this year,’” Glasgow mentioned. “That’s cool. I appreciate that. But they even said it, ‘From here on out, it will just be us talking with your agent and seeing what we can do.’”

Seems fairly simple that either side need to full a deal. It’s good to see the transparency on this franchise, as not simply the coaches however the gamers are upfront with how they really feel about this group.

What do you assume the Lions ought to do with Graham Glasgow?