ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — With Dominic Raiola gone, Travis Swanson is set to become the man in the middle for the Detroit Lions.
"We anticipate he's going to be a very, very vital part of what we're doing up front," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "Right now he's at the apex of our offense and that's a very, very important position because he sets everything for us.
"Echoing maybe the calls by the quarterback but then also making adjustments quickly as well. He kind of handles that whole operation."
Raiola replaced Eric Beverly as the team's center in 2002 and became a mainstay as the linemen surrounding him came and went.