See who will be Unveiling the Future: Who Will Rise as the NFL’s Next Top Center After Jason Kelce?”

With Former Philadelphia Eagles Center Jason Kelce, The Title Of NFL’s Top Center Is Up For Grabs. Who Will Claim It?

NFL centers aren’t sexy. They don’t command much attention unless their numbers are called when a referee announces a penalty. Often described as the “quarterback of the offensive line,” centers communicate with those along the front. They help coordinate pre-snap action while remaining cognate of quarterback audibles. Their contributions are nuanced, but the good ones tend to get noticed more than most. With the retirement of former Philadelphia Eagles Jason Kelce, there’s a pre-training camp opening for earning the designation as the league’s top center.

Here’s a look at three of the top candidates: Detroit’s Frank Ragnow, Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum, and Atlanta’s Drew Dalman.

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Who Will Replace Jason Kelce As The NFL’s Top Center?
July 20, 2024
Jeff Hawkins
With Former Philadelphia Eagles Center Jason Kelce, The Title Of NFL’s Top Center Is Up For Grabs. Who Will Claim It?

NFL centers aren’t sexy. They don’t command much attention unless their numbers are called when a referee announces a penalty. Often described as the “quarterback of the offensive line,” centers communicate with those along the front. They help coordinate pre-snap action while remaining cognate of quarterback audibles. Their contributions are nuanced, but the good ones tend to get noticed more than most. With the retirement of former Philadelphia Eagles Jason Kelce, there’s a pre-training camp opening for earning the designation as the league’s top center.

Who Will Replace Jason Kelce as The NFL’s Top Center?
Here’s a look at three of the top candidates: Detroit’s Frank Ragnow, Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum, and Atlanta’s Drew Dalman.

Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions
Despite lingering issues with the turf toe he suffered in 2021, Ragnow registered a career-high 88.1 grade last season, according to PFF.com. One of the league’s top run-blocking centers, Ragnow helped lift the Lions to consecutive playoff wins for the first time last winter.

After falling one bad half short of qualifying for the franchise’s initial Super Bowl, the Lions remain one of the favorites to clinch back-to-back NFC North titles. Known for arriving at the team’s practice facility before 6 a.m., Ragnow earned his third Pro Bowl selection in 2023.

With Ragnow anchoring the offensive line, the Lions produced the third-most yards per game (394.8) and finished fifth in points per game (27.1) last season. Entering the Lions’ Week 16 win over the Minnesota Vikings, Ragnow yielded just one sack during his previous 1,735 pass-blocking attempts.

His health will continue to be monitored by odds-makers. After appearing in all 16 games as a rookie in 2018, Ragnow has missed at least one game during the past five seasons.