Lions release veteran offensive tackle Rick Wagner

The Detroit Lions are making a major change along their offensive line as the team announced it is releasing veteran right tackle Rick Wagner.

Wagner spent three seasons with Detroit, but his release will provide the Lions with $6.1M in cap space. Going into his eighth season, Wagner was set to make $9M. Two seasons remained on Wagner’s Detroit deal.

Detroit signed Wagner to a five-year, $47.5M deal in 2017. He started all 40 games in which he appeared and, over the first two years of the contract, produced a positive Pro Football Focus review. 

This past season, however, the 30-year-old blocker graded as PFF’s No. 61 overall tackle. This will mean the Lions are set to lose two starters from their offensive line, with coveted guard Graham Glasgow on track for free agency.

With this move, the Lions will bump up beyond $50M in cap space. They stand to possess at least $53M, though other cuts could surely  follow the Wagner decision. Wagner now heads to a marketplace that will feature a few newly available tackles, including Jason Peters, Trent Williams and Cordy Glenn.