After Playoff Heartbreak, Lions Answer With a Defining Rebuild Move — Signing College Football’s Best Center and Sending a Message That This Team Is Far From Done
Detroit Lions wasted no time taking action after the season ended. Just days after being eliminated from the postseason, the team signed a futures contract with Seth McLaughlin — a young center formerly on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad and the winner of the 2024 Rimington Trophy, awarded to college football’s best center. The move shows the Lions are not waiting around or making short-term patches, but beginning their rebuild with foundational building blocks.
McLaughlin, 24, went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft despite being highly regarded. He signed with the Bengals shortly after the draft and spent the entire 2025 season on the practice squad without being promoted to the active roster. When Cincinnati signed futures contracts with 13 other players and left McLaughlin off the list, Detroit quickly seized the opportunity. For the Lions, it represents a low-risk move with significant long-term upside.

At the college level, McLaughlin’s journey was filled with ups and downs. He developed at Alabama, gradually becoming a starter, but his time there ended painfully after a playoff loss to Michigan that included several costly snap errors. He later transferred to Ohio State for the 2024 season and erupted, winning the Rimington Trophy with a steady, reliable performance, allowing no sacks and earning a 70.7 grade from PFF. At that moment, head coach Dan Campbell summed up the Lions’ rebuilding philosophy:
“We’re not signing players just to patch holes. We’re signing them because we believe in who they are and what they can become. Moves like this make our direction very clear — and I want our fans to know that this team is coming back much stronger next season.”
Unfortunately, McLaughlin suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice and missed the opportunity to compete for a national championship with Ohio State. Even so, ESPN still rated him as the top undrafted free agent of the 2025 Draft, with the injury cited as the primary reason teams hesitated. He has since been medically cleared to return to football activities, opening the door for a potential career revival in a new environment.
For the Lions, the signing carries clear strategic meaning. Frank Ragnow has retired, Graham Glasgow struggled with consistency and could be released due to his high salary, and Kingsley Eguakun — once viewed as a depth option — was signed away by the Browns. McLaughlin now becomes a compelling long-term developmental piece for Detroit’s interior offensive line. This is not merely a futures contract, but a declaration of direction: the Lions are rebuilding patiently, deliberately, and with their eyes firmly fixed on the Lombardi Trophy.













