The Detroit Lions will have a chance to return to the NFC Championship Game on Saturday, as the team will square off against the Washington Commanders at Ford Field in the divisional round. Dan Campbell's squad finished the regular season with a 15-2 record and clinched the NFC North title and No.1 seed in the conference in Week 18 after blowing out the Minnesota Vikings.
Detroit's offense has been dynamic in 2024, and though quarterback Jared Goff and the unit's skill position players receive the most credit, the Lions' offensive line is the engine of Ben Johnson's group. The team returned four of five starters on the offensive line from last season in 2024, with the exception of Jonah Jackson, who signed with the Los Angeles Rams in free agency last offseason.
The one new starter on the offensive line is veteran guard Kevin Zeitler. The 34-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Lions in 2024 free agency and started 16 games for Detroit in the regular season this year.
Zeitler will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and though Detroit should look to retain the 2023 Pro Bowler, Last Word on Sports' Isaac Zuniga believes the Chicago Bears should sign Zeitler to a one-year deal worth $5 million in free agency this offseason.
"Kevin Zeitler could be a solid fallback if the Bears miss out on younger, high-profile linemen," Zuniga wrote. "If the Bears do hire Ben Johnson, maybe Zeitler would be inclined to join his former offensive coordinator in Chicago."
Zeitler was one of the better interior offensive linemen in football during the regular season, allowing just 18 quarterback pressures in 577 pass-blocking snaps and posting an 87.2 PFF run-blocking grade, which ranked third among guards in the NFL.
The Lions should absolutely look to re-sign Zeitler to a one or two-year deal this offseason, but if the veteran decides to depart the Motor City, Chicago would be an excellent landing spot.
The Bears must bolster the offensive line, as Caleb Williams was the most sacked quarterback in the NFL this season, and the interior of the offensive line is lackluster. Signing Zeitler to a cheap one-year deal to anchor the interior of the unit and provide a much-needed veteran presence on a young team would be a savvy move by general manager Ryan Poles.
