<![CDATA[The Lions lost at Seattle in the wild-card round of the 2016 playoffs, so the Seahawks are among the many obstacles standing between the Lions and the Super Bowl.
One way the Lions will try to get past the Seahawks in 2017 is by paying right tackle Ricky Wagner more than the Seahawks will pay their entire offensive line.
The #Lions and OT Ricky Wagner have agreed in principle on a contract, source said. It will eclipse $9M per year, setting a new market.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2017
More than the Seahawks paid their entire line last season. … https://t.co/cxNu2Deddt
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) March 8, 2017
Wagner will become the league's highest-paid right tackle. A fifth-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2013, Wagner was the fourth-best pass blocking right tackle in the league last season via Pro Football Focus.
The Lions are paying up to improve Matthew Stafford’s protection. He wasn’t sacked more than 36 times in his first five seasons, but he hasn’t been sacked less than 37 times over the last three seasons.
Stafford was an MVP candidate before dislocating the middle finger on his throwing hand in Week 14. He threw three touchdown passes and five interceptions in the last four games and the Lions had to settle for a wild-card spot after losing their last three games.
The Lions are paying a lot of money for a right tackle who hasn’t been to a Pro Bowl, but when you’re in the same division as Aaron Rodgers and in the same conference as The 12th Man, it’s the cost of doing business.]]>
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