The Detroit Lions have spent a lot of time and money trying to improve their offensive line.
Frank Ragnow represents the latest investment.
"It starts up front
patrick mahomes authentic jersey ," Lions general manager Bob Quinn said. "That's kind of what we believe in."
Detroit drafted the Arkansas center with the No. 20 overall pick Thursday night, hoping he can boost their lackluster running game and keep franchise
quarterback Matthew Stafford upright more often.
"Those are two things he's paid to do and he does both of them equally well," Quinn said. "He played his best games against the best defenses."
The Lions ranked last in the NFL last year in rushing offense and have been among the league's worst on the ground offensively in recent seasons. Their
one-dimensional offense and banged-up line led to Stafford being sacked 47 times
last season.
Ragnow will have a chance to start as a rookie, likely next to guards T.J. Lang and Graham Glasgow if he plays center. He may also play guard, giving
Detroit an option of playing Glasgow at center.
"He's a guy who can help us most the quickest," Quinn said.
Quinn has used the draft and free agency to bolster the offensive line, using his first pick as a general manager two years ago to take Ohio State tackle
Taylor Decker No. 16 overall and Glasgow two rounds later. Last year in free
agency, Quinn spent big to sign Lang and Ricky Wagner.
And now, Quinn has committed to bolster the line even more by using a first-round pick on a center and choosing to address needs on the defensive line
later in the draft or free agency.
The 6-foot-5
http://www.kansascitychiefsteamonline.com/patrick-mahomes-ii-jersey , 312-pound Ragnow is a big and powerful lineman, who ended his 42-game career
without giving up a sack. He had a season-ending ankle injury last year,
limiting him to seven games.
"The rehab process went way smoother than I expected," said Ragnow, adding his ankle is healthy. "It was a very routine surgery."
The Minnesota native played in nine games as a freshman in 2014 and became a full-time starter at right guard as a sophomore. He moved to center as a junior
and thought entering NFL draft after grading out as the top offensive lineman in
the country by Pro Football Focus.
Ragnow chose to stay in college and was a second-team preseason All-America player, but injury stunted his shot at winning awards. His father, Jon, died of
a heart attack during the 2016 football season.
"He was my best friend," he said. "He was my biggest fan. Especially right now
patrick mahomes stitched jersey , it's bittersweet. I'm just going to keep trying to make him proud."
Despite the loss, he continued to play and was stopped after a game by Alabama coach Nick Saban, who lost his father to a heart attack while in
graduate school.
"Embrace the memories and the good times that he had with his father because that will be something he can keep with him forever," Saban recalled telling
Ragnow.
The Lions have second- and third-round picks Friday along with slots in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds on Saturday. They went into the draft without a
sixth-round selection, giving it up last year to acquire offensive tackle Greg
Robinson from the Los Angeles Rams. Robinson started six games for the Lions,
who released him in November.
The Lions had relative success a year ago in the draft, getting contributions from seven players it selected.
Detroit won three of their first four games last season and had a 6-4 record, but had setbacks in three of five games to fall out of the playoff picture and
the late-season slide cost coach Jim Caldwell his job. Quinn hired Matt Patricia
to lead an NFL team for the first time
Blake Martinez Jersey , reuniting with a coach he worked alongside with the New England Patriots for a dozen years.
The New England Patriots were thrilled to have a five-time champion with them at practice this week.
Not Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant.
With their quarterback skipping organized team activities along with tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots returned to Gillette Stadium for offseason
workouts this week. After Bryant visited the team on Wednesday, several New
England players noted the similarities between him and Brady.
”They’re both highly competitive guys,” defensive back Devin McCourty said Thursday. ”I think everybody sees that.”
Although the Patriots wouldn’t elaborate on what Bryant said to them, McCourty came away impressed with his attention to detail with everything
involved in basketball – not just shooting, but practice and working out and his
relationship with his teammates.
Several Patriots posted pictures of themselves with Bryant on social media on Wednesday. Belichick said he has a lot of respect for the 2008 NBA MVP and
thought his team could learn from meeting him.
”It was a cool experience,” running back James White said. ”It’s an honor to meet a guy who’s one of the greatest athletes of all time.”
Of course, White knows another guy like that.
But Brady has reportedly been working out with his personal trainer instead of with his teammates. A three-time NFL MVP who will turn 41 in
August
Justin Hardy Jersey , Brady is said to be upset with coach Bill Belichick over his attempts to speed up the succession plan at quarterback and move Jimmy
Garoppolo into the starting job before Brady was ready to give it up.
Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers midseason, reportedly on a mandate from owner Robert Kraft.
”(No.) 12 is a big part of this team, and he means a lot to us in the locker room. But as far as the culture goes, it’s always been `next man up,”’
linebacker Dont’a Hightower said. ”We’re not going to work harder just because
12’s not here or because Gronk’s not here. … Whenever he gets back, we’ll be
glad to have them both, but it’s not going to stop us from working.”
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