The Lions continued their practice of recouping money from retired players’ signing bonuses by asking for a few of Frank Ragnow‘s. The previous Pro Bowl center is believed to have paid back a part of $3MM, the utmost number the team could collect on this case, in response to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. The Lions famously proceeded this fashion with Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, alienating each following their earlier-than-expected retirements. Detroit having done this with all-time greats made the team refuse to make an exception for Ragnow, who retired last summer — before a failed comeback attempt.
“Our precedent goes all the way in which back to Barry Sanders,” team president Rod Wood said, via Birkett. “And if Barry Sanders paid back money. … And I feel the fact is, they’re not paying back their money, they’re returning our money. Cause they were paid prematurely for services that they hadn’t accomplished.”
Teams are inside their rights to ask for signing bonus a reimbursement after a retirement, but not all achieve this. Ragnow signed a four-year, $54MM extension in 2021. That deal included only a $6MM signing bonus; $3MM of that remained on Detroit’s cap sheet, as two years were left on the middle’s deal. Although signing bonuses are prorated over the lifetime of a contract, players receive them much earlier — typically in a lump-sum payment or multiple such payments. The Lions asked for $1.6MM of a possible $3.2MM from Johnson following his 2016 retirement, they usually went to arbitration with Sanders after his stunning summer 1999 exit.
“I feel every contract’s barely different and I won’t get into the negotiations because what we did with anyone player wasn’t the exact same and it did have something to do with how way back it was and what number of the contract was a signing bonus vs. P5 [base salary],” Wood said. “But when you don’t do it with any individual, even a small amount, it makes it difficult to get the larger amount. And it’s really, it’s the Lions’ money, it’s not the player’s money.”
Sanders and Johnson have since reconciled with the Lions. Ragnow, 29, just isn’t planning one other comeback bid. Here is the most recent from the NFC North:
- The Bears are viewed as more likely to add a defensive lineman in Round 1, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. The team has Dayo Odeyingbo stationed opposite Montez Sweat, however the ex-Colt is coming off an Achilles tear. Chicago also pursued Maxx Crosby via trade. The team is believed to be high on Missouri’s Zion Young, Miller adds. Young could also be considered a reach in Round 1, as Daniel Jeremiah ranks the D-end forty fifth on his big board. The Bears have three picks in the primary two rounds, following the D.J. Moore trade, and will feature a much bigger DT need. Grady Jarrett goes into an age-33 season, though the team did sign depth options in Kentavius Street and Neville Gallimore.
- Shemar Turner can be coming off a season-ending injury, but prior to his October ACL tear, the Bears had moved the defensive tackle to DE. It’s going to be expected Turner stays on the EDGE spot upon recovery, the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs notes. The Bears selected Turner within the 2025 second round; his minimal defensive snaps were split almost evenly between DE and DT.
- The Packers reunited Javon Hargrave with recent DC Jonathan Gannon, but some across the league look to have expected the team to sign Dalvin Tomlinson. Also an NFC cap casualty in March, Tomlinson ended up with the Chargers on a one-year, $6.2MM deal. Weight issues can have steered the Packers away from Tomlinson, a personnel exec informed SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora. A nine-year veteran, Tomlinson spent last season as a full-time Cardinals starter. The Pack added Hargrave on a two-year, $23MM deal.
- Staying with reference to NFC North D-lines, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the Lions met with five-year veteran Jay Tufele. Seeing time with the Jaguars, Bengals and Jets, the previous fourth-round pick has began seven profession games. The 26-year-old DT spent last season with the Jets, logging 230 defensive snaps.