Detroit Lions unveil possible 'Plan A' for replacing Frank Ragnow at center

The Detroit Lions have three spots up for grabs along the offensive line entering training camp, but we might have already gotten a look at their plan for them.

With Frank Ragnow retiring and Kevin Zeitler moving on in free agency, the Lions have a center and guard spot to fill. The three favorites for those jobs are Graham Glasgow, Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany.

The expectation has been that Ratledge and Glasgow will compete for the center job, and Mahogany is the favorite for a guard spot. Whoever loses the Ratledge-Glasgow battle will likely man the other guard position.

On Sunday, we might have seen the Lions' "Plan A" for their starting spots on the inside. Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News noted that Ratledge got the first-team repetitions at center, while Mahogany and Glasgow filled in at guard.

"With much speculation re: who would get first cracks at the center position, Lions rookie Tate Ratledge handled all of the first-team snaps for Detroit during 11-on-11 periods today," Bianchi reported. "Graham Glasgow played RG and Christian Mahogany at LG."

"A lot can change between now and Week 1, but Ratledge's placement on the first day of camp suggests that putting him at center is their Plan A," he added.

Based on what we know about how difficult it is to play center, it is a bit surprising that Glasgow isn't getting the first crack.

And that's especially true when you consider that Glasgow actually has experience playing at center in the NFL, while Ratledge doesn't have any and didn't play the position at Georgia before getting looks there with the Lions this offseason.

But, as Bianchi notes, there's still a long way to go before that trio is cemented in at those exact spots, so don't go writing their names in pen yet.

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