Among the dizzying flurry of items the front office must attack in the coming days and weeks, the fifth-year option on Frank Ragnow and his rookie contract isn’t the most pressing. But the Lions do have to make the decision before the May 3rd deadline, and the NFL provided the financial details of what the option value will be earlier this week.
All first-round picks come with standard four-year contracts but also a club option for a fifth season. The value of that fifth year depends on performance and position, and that value changes from year to year.
The published values for the fifth-year options for the first-round draft class of 2018:
Ragnow’s contract option will cost the Lions $12.657 million. The center qualifies for the top value at offensive line because he has made one Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. Players who make two or more Pro Bowls will earn the franchise tag value at their positions; three from this draft class — Colts OG Quenton Nelson, Bills LB Tremaine Edmonds and Steelers DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (drafted by Miami) earn that distinction.
The Lions and Ragnow could work out a contract extension that would supersede the option, of course. Exercising the option simply buys an extra season of fixed cost and services, it doesn’t lock Ragnow or the Lions into paying that option if they can agree to a different, long-term deal. The fifth-year option value often offers a good estimate for the yearly value of a new contract, too.
While it’s impossible to know what the new Lions regime will choose to do, it’s unfathomable that they won’t lock down Ragnow for a least his fifth-year option. He’s arguably the most talented player on the entire team.