It has been a long time since the Lions have started a season without center Dominic Raiola on the roster, but it looks like that run will be coming to an end in 2015.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that the Lions have informed Raiola that they do not plan on re-signing him this offseason. Raiola signed a one-year deal to return for a 14th season with the Lions last year and Raiola started all but one game in the regular season and playoffs.
He missed that one game serving a suspension for stepping on Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson and rookie Travis Swanson stepped into the lineup in his place. Swanson will be the first man up to replace Raiola over the long term, assuming that the knee injury he suffered in the playoff loss to the Cowboys doesn’t cause him any problems during the offseason.
Raiola said at the end of the season that he was optimistic about a return to the Lions, which certainly suggests he plans to keep playing in 2015. How much interest there will be in a 36-year-old who didn’t play great in 2014 remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Raiola’s reached the end of the line after 14 years in Detroit.
