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Brad Holmes Drops Surprising Tate Ratledge Revelation
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- Brad Holmes Drops Surprising Tate Ratledge Revelation
The Detroit Lions ' decision to enter Week 1 without a traditional backup center suddenly makes a little more sense.
According to Jeff Risdon , someone attending Detroit's pregame club gathering Sunday relayed that general manager Brad Holmes revealed Tate Ratledge was the Lions' highest-graded center in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
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That is notable because Ratledge was primarily viewed as a guard coming out of Georgia. Detroit selected him 57th overall in the second round, and the Lions' official player profile notes that all 37 of his college starts came at right guard.
He stayed there as an NFL rookie, starting all 17 games for Detroit in 2025.
But apparently, the Lions saw something else during the evaluation process.
Tate Ratledge Thanksgiving satire Detroit Lions breakout player 2026 Brad Holmes Tate Ratledge center
Detroit's Emergency Center Plan Makes More Sense
That information adds important context to Detroit's Week 1 offensive-line plan.
The Lions did not elevate Seth McLaughlin from the practice squad for Sunday's opener, leaving Juice Scruggs as the starting center and Ratledge as the primary emergency option. We previously examined why Detroit's decision to carry no true backup center created some risk.
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If Holmes and his scouting department actually graded Ratledge as the best center prospect in the entire 2025 class, Detroit's comfort level becomes considerably easier to understand.
The NFL's 2025 draft evaluation listed Ratledge as a guard, but his strength, intelligence and interior versatility were always part of the appeal. Detroit has continued cross-training him at center since Cade Mays ' wrist injury forced the Lions to explore multiple replacement options .
Ratledge is still Detroit's starting right guard.
But Holmes' reported comment suggests the Lions never viewed him as onlya guard.
And if something happens to Scruggs on Sunday, Detroit may be considerably more comfortable moving No. 69 to center than anyone outside Allen Park realized.
