Latest news with #Ratledge
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Georgia guard Tate Ratledge signs $7.6M rookie contract
The Detroit Lions and former Georgia Bulldogs right guard Tate Ratledge finally agreed on the terms on his rookie contract. The official details aren't out yet, but Ratledge is expected to make $7,652,736 through four years, according to Spotrac. The first two years of it will be 100% guaranteed, while the third year includes 66% guaranteed salary, according to Ben Levine of Trade Rumors. Ratledge was drafted by Detroit with the 57th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft after spending four years holding down Georgia's right side. Ratledge immense size (6-foot-6, 320 pounds) and speed (4.97 40-yard dash (100th percentile) and 7.38 cone drill (96th percentile)) made him a terror for opposing defensive lineman. Ratledge earned AP All-American Third-Team distinction in 2024 and AP All-American Second-Team in 2023. He's also dependably healthy, as other than an ankle injury suffered in Week 3 of the 2024 season, he hasn't sustained many significant injuries. With incumbent center Frank Ragnow retiring over the 2025 offseason, Ratledge has an easy route to earn starting time off the bat. He's already gotten looks as the starting center during training camp and with Pro Bowlers Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker flanking both tackle spots, Ratledge will be eased into the position. In normal circumstances, his rookie deal would have been ironed out by now. However, when the Texans signed Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins to a fully-guaranteed contract, it caused an unprecedented standoff between NFL teams and second-round picks, as each one of them were looking for more guaranteed money than previous years, if not a fully guaranteed contract.
USA Today
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
This SEC football team has launched a new golf YouTube show called 'Between the Wedges'
Former Georgia football tight end Brock Bowers is featured in UGA athletics' 'Between the Wedges,' a 30-minute YouTube show that takes you on UGA's golf course with Bowers, Chaz Chambliss and Tate Ratledge. Georgia football show 'Between the Wedges' Bowers was back on campus this summer completing his real estate degree after setting several rookie records last season for the Las Vegas Raiders. Ratledge was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2025 draft while Chambliss signed with the Vikings as a free agent. Bowers and Chambliss teamed up to face Ratledge and host of the show Drake Jennings, a football operations assistant in UGA athletics, in a 9-hole match play on the back 9. Like many hacking golfers, balls went left and right as they scrambled around the course. Bowers and Chambliss did manage back-to-back birdies on 12 and the par-3 13th. Bowers and Chambliss won the last hole to give them a 3-up win in the match. Content from Between the Wedges On the par-5 12th, Ratledge took a chunk out of his drive and immediately blamed the others for talking during his backswing. "Can y'all be quiet please?" Ratledge joked about a humorous comment Bowers made. "I started laughing in my backswing." "I didn't know about tee-box etiquette," Bowers quipped. Bowers also gave a quick pizza review for the pie he was chowing down on mid-hole on the 13th. Georgia running back Cash Jones, whom Bowers stayed with during the summer, was mentioned during the review. "That guy sucks," Bowers said. "Just kidding. That's a joke." As Bowers stood over his ball for a long iron shot to the green, he regretted the pizza. "My hands are slick from the pizza," he said. "Not good. Oh, there we go, we're dialed." He then hit it well right of the hole. It did, however, clear the pond. Ryne Dennis is the Deep South Connect Team Editor for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X @RyneDennis and email at rdennis@
USA Today
07-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lions OTA health recap: Notable full participants
Lions OTA health recap: Notable full participants Now that OTA (organized team activities) are over, it's time to recap what we've learned. The best news coming out of the six days of OTA is that there were no significant new injuries. This can't be taken for granted as preseason injuries are common. During OTA's, we've already seen Steelers TE Donald Parham suffer an Achilles tear, and former 2nd-round Lion Jahlani Tavai (now with the Patriots) suffer a multi-week calf injury. With so many players recovering from medical issues, I'll break down the OTA recap into categories. First will be notable players who had a "full" participation in OTA as relayed by Dan Campbell. My next article will recap the players with limited to no participation. There is certainly some gray area with these informal designations (full vs limited vs out), so take them with a grain of salt. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE (Left tib/fib fracture - Oct 13, 2024) A limited designation would have been totally reasonable since Hutchinson is still rebuilding strength and wearing a leg sleeve. But Dan Campbell conspicuously eschewed the limited designation. With no limited designation, the Lions are "lighting the beacons" and sending the clear signal across the NFL landscape that Hutchinson will undoubtedly be ready for the season. Great news for Lions fans and bad news for opposing QB's. As Gandalf proclaimed in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King when the beacons were lit.... "Hope is kindled." Tate Ratledge, OG/C (Left MCL & high ankle sprain - Sep 2024) Ratledge was getting heavy work at the center position during OTA due to Ragnow's retirement. One of Ratledge's health concerns coming out of college was his slightly older rookie age of 24. That means there is little time for development, and he needs to be a plug-and-play player his rookie year. This is especially true now with the team's previous All-Pro center on a fishing boat somewhere. A full participation in OTA was expected for Ratledge but still good to see. As Dan Campbell stated during OTA when discussing the interior offensive line.... "We need growth [of all these guys], we need development quickly." Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE (Right ankle - Dec 31, 2024) His ankle injury during his final college game is clearly not an issue anymore. During OTA, Jeff Risdon observed that "Hassanein exudes enthusiastic energy and athleticism on every single rep." With both starting EDGE's coming off injury along with a stark lack of pass-rushing depth, the development of this 6th-round rookie is worth keeping a close eye on. Marcus Davenport, EDGE (Left elbow - Sept 22, 2024) Despite still wearing a significant left elbow wrap for his reported triceps rupture last September, Davenport was not given a limited designation. That means he will be ready for the season as expected. The Lions have given him a lot of financial reasons to produce this season as the majority of his contract value involves incentives. Christian Mahogany, OG With the OG position unsettled, Mahogany is in the mix for a starting role after emerging as the primary backup during his rookie year. A healthy OTA makes him the favorite to start the year at LG which is where he was exclusively seen by Jeff Risdon. This former 6th-rounder does have a history of a right ACL tear in 2022 and was wearing a right knee brace last season, so his health is something to watch. Graham Glasgow, OG/C With Ragnow's retirement, Glasgow's performance and health increase in importance. Last season, his performance dipped possibly due a knee issue. Hopefully, this season we see a rebound in performance/health. A full participation in OTA is a good start. Ennis Rakestraw, CB (Hamstring - Nov 23, 2024) Sporting a new number (#9), Rakestraw was looking spry at OTA. Last season was rough as multiple hamstring injuries knocked him out of much of his rookie year. Hopefully, he can dodge those issues this season. Getting through OTA healthy was an important step. Pat O'Connor, DT (Calf - Jan 5, 2025) A calf injury kept him out of the playoffs which may have been an underrated factor in the defensive struggles vs the Commanders. O'Connor had been performing well in the latter part of the season when he was playing about 50% of defensive snaps. It's good to see that the calf issue has resolved. Amik Robertson, CB (Left humerus fracture - Jan 18, 2025) Despite the lengthy surgical scar, the humerus fracture suffered early in the playoff game is not an issue. He should pick right back up after coming off a strong season at both inside and outside CB. This will be a big year for Robertson's career as he enters the final year of his contract at just 27 years old.
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Breaking down the Lions options to replace Frank Ragnow now that the center is retiring
Breaking down the Lions options to replace Frank Ragnow now that the center is retiring The stunning news that center Frank Ragnow is retiring from football means major changes are coming to the Detroit Lions offensive line. Ragnow has been a high-end fixture in the middle of the Detroit line since he was drafted in the first round in 2018. Replacing Ragnow will not be easy. He's a three-time second-team All-Pro and has earned Pro Bowl status in four of the last five seasons, including 2024. The Lions aren't caught completely off-guard, however. They have some options to replace Ragnow in the pivot. The most likely solution is rookie Tate Ratledge. Selected in the second round, Ratledge played right guard at Georgia, but he has taken nearly all the first-team center reps throughout Lions OTAs and rookie minicamp. Ratledge noted he earned reps as the backup center at Georgia when he spoke to the media at rookie minicamp earlier this spring. The other most prominent option is for veteran Graham Glasgow to slide back to center. Glasgow has been Ragnow's primary backup since rejoining the Lions in 2023, while also serving as a starting guard. Glasgow's play fell off considerably in 2024 while playing left guard, but the soon-to-be 33-year-old has NFL starting experience at center during his three-year stint with the Denver Broncos, as well as spot starts in Detroit. The Lions also have centers Kingsley Eguakun and Michael Niese in reserve on the current 90-man roster. Niese played 33 snaps at center in emergency duty last year, his second season in Detroit. Eguakun, an undrafted rookie from Florida in 2024, got the bulk of the work at second-team center behind Ratledge in Friday's OTA session. Colby Sorsdal has also taken some practice reps at center as he attempts to stick on the roster in his third season. The 2023 fifth-round pick has unsuccessfully bounced between right tackle and guard, and moving to center could be his ticket to more significance.
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tate Ratledge's emotional reaction after being drafted
Tate Ratledge's emotional reaction after being drafted Georgia Bulldogs guard Tate Ratledge was selected by the Detroit Lions with the No. 57 pick of the 2025 NFL draft. Ratledge was one of three Georgia Bulldogs that the Lions drafted and new Detroit offensive coordinator John Morton will have an exciting prospect to work with. Ratledge started 36 games over three seasons at Georgia. He excels as a pass protector. Detroit's offense relies on having a dominant offensive line and Ratledge could be the next great Lions' lineman. He helped the Bulldogs win a national championship in 2022, and in his senior season, he earned a first team All-SEC and third-team AP All-American honors. Injuries have been an issue for him in the past. In 2021, he missed all but the opening game of the season due to a lisfranc injury. In 2024, he had an ankle injury that required tightrope surgery, requiring him to miss the games between Kentucky in Week 3 and Florida in Week 10. Despite that, he is one of the most athletic guards in the draft. He had the highest Combine IQ (athleticism score) out of anybody in the entire draft outside of Jalen Milroe. Detroit is known for developing and producing an incredible offensive line, and Ratledge will be able to learn alongside All-Pros Frank Ragnow and Penei Sewell. Here are some of the best reactions to Tate Ratledge getting selected by the Detroit Lions, including his own emotional reaction. Tate Ratledge's reaction to the selection Georgia head coach Kirby Smart's reaction "What a player Tate Ratledge is," Kirby Smart said on social media. "The Lions are so lucky to have him !! You provided a lot of energy and life to this program and I can't thank you enough for your leadership here. You've got a bright future ahead of you. GO DAWGS !!" Ratledge getting prepared for football on Thanksgiving Knee cap biter out of the womb
