The Detroit Lions surprisingly moved on from three key names that have been significant contributors to the offense in recent years. Moving on from Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, and David Montgomery were the most surprising things the Lions did this offseason, per ESPN.

The reasoning is that the Lions are a team that tends to stay loyal to their own. Decker was a lifer on the Lions, Glasgow was with the team from 2016-2019, and then came back from 2023-25. Montgomery left the rival Chicago Bears to make a run with the Lions from 2023-25. These players will always be remembered for their roles in those great runs.

However, for as surprising as it was to see those names leave, it was likely the smart decision.

Detroit Lions Surprisingly Move on From Notable Veterans

Decker is going to be 33 years old this season. His play started to decline last year, and he missed games due to injury in four of the past five seasons. It is clear which direction things are heading for his career, and that is why he is currently a free agent.

Glasgow was probably better at guard than center, but the retirement of Frank Ragnow forced him to play center. The team has two younger options, and both of them established themselves are starters last year. So, Glasgow does not have much of a role to fit into in Detroit. Beyond that, he will be 34 this season, and he remains unsigned because teams are skeptical of what he has in the tank.

Montgomery might have something in the tank, but his contract was higher than his production. The team had Jahmyr Gibbs, so they either had to decide to use Gibbs less or ask Montgomery to take a pay cut. The smarter move was to trade Montgomery, get a draft pick back, and add Juice Scruggs, who can give them youth and depth along the interior.

Lions are Built to Overcome Surprising Losses

While they lost key contributors to their identity, the Lions did a great job maintaining that identity in their replacements. Blake Miller was drafted in round 1 to replace Decker. He is 11 years younger than Decker, he is cheaper and signed to a longer deal due to his rookie contract, and he did not miss a single start at Clemson, showing more durability. He is not as refined but brings the same level of toughness.

In signing Cade Mays, the Lions added someone seven years younger than Glasgow, and someone who is a better fit at center. Mays is making just $2M more per year than what Glasgow was.

The Lions signed Isiah Pacheco to replace Montgomery. That will save the team about $7M in cap space, so even if Pacheco is not quite up to replacing him, they do not need the full production of Montgomery if they are asking more from Gibbs. For the role that Detroit needs, the fit is perfect.

The Lions veered off a bit from their normal strategy, but they got similar style replacements at a younger and cheaper cost. This should help them maintain long-term success.