Lions Lowdown

ALLEN PARK — Frank Ragnow couldn’t be more excited to be a Detroit Lion.

His excitement was evident at an introductory press conference late on Friday afternoon.

He started by saying, “I’m Frank Ragnow and I’m so, so excited to be here.”

The offensive lineman was bear-hugged by coach Matt Patricia as he took the podium to take questions.

“He’s amazing, you can tell he really has passion for football and I think I’m the same way. I’m just so, so excited to play for such a brilliant football mind and such a great coach,’’ Ragnow said.

Here are seven things to know about Ragnow:

1. He got a congratulatory text from Matthew Stafford on Friday morning and was so much in awe that he called him “Mr. Stafford.” The quarterback would have none of that. Stafford told him he was happy to have him on board and is excited to win some ball games with him. Stafford should be thrilled to get more protection on the offensive line. It’s unclear whether Ragnow will play at center or left guard.

2. Finishing — putting another man on his back against his will —  is his favorite part of the game. “I’ve always taken pride in — you can control, you control your work ethic. Your finishing isn’t going to be about your talent, it’s not about your athleticism, it’s about your want-to and that’s what you can control,’’ Ragnow said.

3. He played for Arkansas so faced amazing talent weekly. He remembers going against his new teammate A’Shawn Robinson who played for Alabama. “I remember he looked 40,’’ Ragnow said. Nailed it.

4. Ragnow was genuinely surprised to be drafted by the Lions who had interviewed him at the NFL Draft Combine and had not talked to him since. “That was really early in the process, you didn’t know anything. It was pretty cool just getting to interview with all the teams. Now I’m a Detroit Lion and I couldn’t be more excited,’’ said Ragnow who grew up in Minnesota as a Vikings fan.

5. He is admittedly a football junky so knew quite a bit about the Lions offensive line. He tried not to pay attention to the plethora of mock drafts. “When you’ve got Facebook and a mother who’s very proud and trying to tag you in everything and trying to show you everything sometimes you can’t avoid it,’’ Ragnow said. “I tried to stay away from it and keep a level head.’’

6. His senior season ended prematurely due to an ankle injury which required surgery. It’s fine now and he cannot wait to get on the football field. “The draft process is a long process especially toward the end here it’s a lot of waiting, a lot of wondering,’’ Ragnow said. “And when you’re training you’re training to run a 40-yard dash which I don’t plan on doing that every again.’’

7. He’s a fisherman so is thrilled to be moving to the Detroit area for obvious reasons. “There’s some great fishing and hunting around here, I’m happy to be here,” Ragnow said. His best fishing buddy was his dad Jon, who died of a heart attack in 2016. He grew up in Minnesota and his family has a fishing cabin in Canada.

 

Matt MIllen is suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease, and may need a heart transplant.

The former Detroit Lions president and chief executive officer has revealed his illness in an interview with Mark Wogenrich of the Morning Call.

Amyloidosis occurs when abnormal proteins called amyloids, produced in the bone marrow, build up in organs or tissue. Though there’s no cure, amyloidosis is treatable with chemotherapy (similar to multiple myeloma) to stop cell growth, according to the report.

“Doctors have said he needs a heart transplant, since his is working at about 30 percent of capacity. He has undergone chemotherapy most every Monday for eight months, and the side effects usually linger until Wednesday,’’ according to the story.

Millen was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic in July after living with symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath) for six years. By then, the disease, which has no cure but is treatable, had affected Millen’s heart to the point that a transplant became necessary, per Wogenrich.

His next step is visiting Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles for a second round of transplant evaluation. next week, according to the story.

Millen was hired by the Lions 2001 and fired in week 4 of the 2008 NFL season. His eight-year tenure led to the worst eight-year record in the history of the modern NFL (31-84, a .270 winning percentage). Millen was the architect of the 2008 Lions who became the first NFL team to go 0-16.

Millen, who played at Penn State, won four Super Bowls while playing for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins.

He plans to return to the broadcast booth in the fall.

 

Didn’t see one mock draft with offensive lineman Frank Ragnow heading to the Lions with the 20th overall pick.

That does not mean it was a bad pick.

Lions GM Bob Quinn got his man. He said they liked Ragnow from the get-go when they watched film and interviewed him at the NFL Draft Combine.

Respected NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock had Ragnow rated as the 19th best draft prospect.

Bleacher Report’s Mike Tanier calls Ragnow “a potential steal.”

Here’s a look at grades from national analysts:

Chad Reuter, draft analyst on NFL.com — Grade: A … Detroit needed to get stronger in the middle, and did by picking Ragnow. He could play guard for now, or move to center if needed. Either way, he’ll move the line of scrimmage. Matthew Stafford feels better already.

Pete Prisco, CBS — Grade: B+ … He is the draft’s best center and can also play guard. The Lions have to get better inside, and Ragnow will make that happen.

Andy Benoit, MMQB — Grade: B … Picking Ragnow addressed the Lions’ weakness at left guard. Graham Glasgow will now move there, supplanting recently signed backup Kenny Wiggins. The Lions wouldn’t draft Ragnow if they didn’t believe he can be a force in the running game, which has been a deficiency the past several years in Detroit.

Yahoo Sports — Grade: B- … The Lions got a guy who will start for a decade and help alleviate running game issues while keeping Matthew Stafford happy. But Detroit needed a pass rusher.

Steven Ruiz, USAToday — Grade: B … The Lions continue to build up their offensive line by adding a nasty blocker who can play at multiple positions. Detroit could have gone for a running back to improve their dreadful run game, but Ragnow should make things easier for the backs already on the roster.

Walter Cherepinsky, Walter Football — Grade: A- … That sound you hear is the collective hearts of the Bengals’ front office breaking upon learning about this pick. Frank Ragnow was set to go 21st overall, but the Lions also needed a center, so they snatched the Arkansas product off the board. This is a solid pick. Ragnow is a terrific center who didn’t surrender a single sack last year playing in the SEC. He fills a huge need, which the Lions had after losing Travis Swanson in free agency.

Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report — Grade: B … The Lions offensive line ranked last in the NFL in adjusted line yards, according to Football Outsiders. Their running back play was terrible, but often there was simply nowhere for them to run. Frank Ragnow missed much of the 2017 season with an ankle injury. He could not participate in the Senior Bowl and only lifted at the combine, but he was a full participant at Arkansas’ pro day. Ragnow is a big mauler with pretty good balance and awareness. He adjusts to blitzes well, peels off to engage linebackers and finishes his blocks with hostility. Ragnow lets some defenders get low on him, negating his power, and may have trouble against quick, cagey interior defenders. But assuming his bill of health is clean, Ragnow is a likely starter and a potential steal. This is a solid pick, though with Harold Landry and others on the board (including a pair of centers who may be as good or better than Ragnow), it may not have been the Lions’ best selection.

(Photo courtesy of Arkansas)