When All-Pro center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement , many fans and football analysts were caught off guard—but were the Detroit Lions ?

Some will point to the timing of Ragnow’s retirement on Monday, noting that it occurred after free agency and the draft, and argue that he did the Lions a disservice by not allowing them time to prepare for his departure. However, when you reflect on the offseason and reconsider the messages from the team—both in the media and through their actions, i.e., drafting two interior offensive linemen—it appears that the Lions were aware of this possibility and were making plans to keep the team operating at a high level.

Let’s examine some quotes and decisions the Lions made this offseason to see if we can gain some clarity.

Hints about Glasgow’s f

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