Lions Let Kevin Zeitler Depart in Free Agency, Raising Questions About Future of Offensive Line
Under head coach Dan Campbell, the Detroit Lions have made significant improvements in the victory column, winning two NFC North Division championships and reaching the conference title game in 2023. However, as Mike Payton of A to Z Sports reported, Campbell is taking heat for allowing guard Kevin Zeitler to leave in free agency. At 35 years old, Zeitler has signed with the Tennessee Titans.
Zeitler’s departure is raising questions about the future stability of the Lions’ offensive line.
“This was the one guy the Lions needed to make sure they kept to keep the offensive line playing at a top level,” Payton wrote on Friday, March 14. He graded the Lions’ move an overall “F.”
“They couldn’t do it. You can’t blame them too much because he wanted to be with family, but maybe you up the offer to keep him here?” Payton questioned.
Zeitler, recognized as a Pro Bowler in 2023 under the Baltimore Ravens, started in 16 of 17 regular-season games at right guard alongside Penei Sewell in Detroit last season. Although Zeitler didn’t receive a Pro Bowl nomination in 2024, Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him the fifth-best player at his position across the NFL. According to an Athlon Sports report, Zeitler “was truly elite as a run blocker, with a PFF grade that ranked him third at the position league-wide in that category.”
With Zeitler’s departure, the Lions must find a suitable replacement for him. Last season, according to Athlon Sports, PFF ranked Detroit the fourth-best offensive line unit in the NFL, behind only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, and Philadelphia Eagles.
