Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions have quite a headache after two of their offensive linemen will not return for another season. The Minnesota Vikings are not making it any easier for the Lions to secure replacements in those positions.

Taylor Decker requested to leave the Lions after the two parties could not agree on a new deal. The Lions also released center Graham Glasgow. That offensive line is looking very thin, and Dan Campbell is scratching his head. 

The Detroit Lions not only have to find players, but they also face steep competition from their NFC North rivals, the Minnesota Vikings. 

The Vikings center, Ryan Kelly, announced his retirement. Now, both the NFC North franchises and rivals have the same needs going into free agency. 

Another obstacle in the way of the Lions is that they are over the salary cap by almost $7 million, and their rivals, the Vikings, are only over by merely $1.4 million. 

The Lions have work cut out for them ahead of free agency if they want a quality center and beat their rivals in acquiring that signature. 

Another twist in the tale for the center search, which particularly affects the Lions again. The Chicago Bears acquired center Garrett Bradbury from the New England Patriots via a trade. The Bears are another team that lost their starting center, Drew Dalman, to retirement. 

The Green Bay Packers are another team that could be in the market for a center. Elgton Jenkins either gets cut or traded, and their other center, Sean Rhyan, will become a free agent. 

All of this just does not help Dan Campbell and the Lions' search for a new center. It makes it so much more difficult, as all of them are in the same division and everyone wants to do better than their rivals. 

Who can Detroit look to solve its issues at the center position?

Provided the Lions' front office can create cap room to sign free agents, and they beat their rivals in doing so. 

The first name on this list for all teams needing a center would be three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum. Former first-round pick, and at only 26-years of age, Linderbaum should be Dan Campbell’s number one choice. 

However, whoever is going to get the center will probably need to open the chequebook and go big.  

Another name would be Ethan Pocic, the center, who is expected to enter free agency in 2026. Played 13 games for the Browns before suffering a season ending achilles injury. 

At 30 years of age, this could be another option for Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions. 

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Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu