NFC North Notes: Ragnow, Bears, Packers

The Lions continued their practice of recouping money from retired players’ signing bonuses by asking for some of Frank Ragnow‘s. The former Pro Bowl center is believed to have paid back part of $3MM, the maximum number the team could collect in this case, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. The Lions famously proceeded this way with Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, alienating both following their earlier-than-expected retirements. Detroit having done this with all-time greats made the team refuse to make an exception for Ragnow, who retired last summer — before a failed comeback attempt.

“Our precedent goes all the way back to Barry Sanders,” team president Rod Wood said, via Birkett. “And if Barry Sanders paid back money. … And I think the reality is, they’re not paying back their money, they’re returning our money. Cause they were paid in advance for services that they hadn’t completed.”

Teams are within their rights to ask for signing bonus money back after a retirement, but not all do so. Ragnow signed a four-year, $54MM extension in 2021. That deal included only a $6MM signing bonus; $3MM of that remained on Detroit’s cap sheet, as two years were left on the center’s deal. Although signing bonuses are prorated over the life of a contract, players receive them much earlier — typically in a lump-sum payment or multiple such payments. The Lions asked for $1.6MM of a possible $3.2MM from Johnson following his 2016 retirement, and they went to arbitration with Sanders after his stunning summer 1999 exit.

“I think every contract’s slightly different and I won’t get into the negotiations because what we did with any one player wasn’t exactly the same and it did have something to do with how long ago it was and what percentage of the contract was a signing bonus vs. P5 [base salary],” Wood said. “But once you don’t do it with somebody, even a small amount, it makes it difficult to get the bigger amount. And it’s really, it’s the Lions’ money, it’s not the player’s money.”

Sanders and Johnson have since reconciled with the Lions. Ragnow, 29, is not planning another comeback bid. Here is the latest from the NFC North:

• The Bears are viewed as likely to add a defensive lineman in Round 1, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. The team has Dayo Odeyingbo stationed opposite Montez Sweat, but the ex-Colt is coming off an Achilles tear. Chicago also pursued Maxx Crosby via trade. The team is believed to be high on Missouri’s Zion Young, Miller adds. Young may be considered a reach in Round 1, as Daniel Jeremiah ranks the D-end 45th on his big board. The Bears have three picks in the first two rounds, following the D.J. Moore trade, and may feature a bigger DT need. Grady Jarrett is going into an age-33 season, though the team did sign depth options in Kentavius Street and Neville Gallimore.
• Shemar Turner is also coming off a season-ending injury, but prior to his October ACL tear, the Bears had moved the defensive tackle to DE. It will be expected Turner stays at the EDGE spot upon recovery, the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs notes. The Bears chose Turner in the 2025 second round; his minimal defensive snaps were split almost evenly between DE and DT.
• The Packers reunited Javon Hargrave with new DC Jonathan Gannon, but some around the league look to have expected the team to sign Dalvin Tomlinson. Also an NFC cap casualty in March, Tomlinson ended up with the Chargers on a one-year, $6.2MM deal. Weight issues may have steered the Packers away from Tomlinson, a personnel exec informed SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora. A nine-year veteran, Tomlinson spent last season as a full-time Cardinals starter. The Pack added Hargrave on a two-year, $23MM deal.
• Staying on the subject of NFC North D-lines, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the Lions met with five-year veteran Jay Tufele. Seeing time with the Jaguars, Bengals and Jets, the former fourth-round pick has started seven career games. The 26-year-old DT spent last season with the Jets, logging 230 defensive snaps.