The Detroit Lions are a candidate to sign Kevin Zeitler this offseason. Zeitler was with the Lions for the 2024 season, went to Tennessee in 2025, but now that he is a free agent again, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report sees him as a great fit for the Lions.
The obvious thought is that the Lions should be interested. Zeitler has had a 14-year NFL career, and he has been one of the league’s more consistent guards. The Lions offensive line was not quite the same without him last year. However, there is a reason Zeitler is still a free agent and an even stronger reason why the Lions have not shown interest yet. At age 36, there is a real question of how much he will have left in the tank, and the Lions’ philosophy this offseason has been to get younger on the offensive line, which does not coincide with a Zeitler reunion.
Detroit Lions are Getting Younger on the Offensive Line
GettyLions GM Brad Holmes has to decide whether he wants to sign Kevin Zeitler.
The Lions did not pursue Zeitler after the 2025 season as they wanted to get younger on the line. They drafted Tate Ratledge in the second round. He was not an upgrade over Zeitler as a rookie, but the team never expected that. They expected to save some money by starting someone on a rookie salary and watching that rookie grow into a competent starter for years to come. Zeitler is a stopgap; Ratledge is a long-term replacement.
While Zeitler has not played left guard before, he could shift over there, or the team could shift Ratledge over. However, 2024 draft pick Christian Mahogany is expected to start there, and he is entering his third NFL season and second as a starter. Detroit is unlikely to want to bench the 25-year-old with potential for a 36-year-old who will start for just one more year.
They swapped out Zeitler for Ratledge last year, and this year, they moved on from Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow. They were both going to be 33 years old this season. The Lions drafted Blake Miller in round 1, and signed Cade Mays in free agency. Miller will be 22 years old, and Mays will be 27 years old. Mays will enter the 2026 season as the oldest starter on the Lions offensive line. This is not the team looking to throw a 36-year-old starter into the mix.
Lions are Unlikley to Sign Kevin Zeitler
Lastly, Zeitler played for the Lions when Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator. So, even if he is familiar with the locker room, the names he lined up with in 2024 are gone, and the coaching staff is gone.
Zeitler has had a great career, with over 14,000 total snaps. He has started for six different teams, made an All-Pro, and was a leader on the Titans‘ line last year. However, unless the Lions suffer an injury in training camp, they seem much more interested in their draft and development plan and letting the young names see if they can step into the starting lineup. Both sides are better off going in different directions.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Detroit Lions Suggested to Reach Out to Familiar Face appeared first on HEAVY.