The top offseason free agency prize for the Detroit Lions in 2026 was center Cade Mays, whom they inked to help fill a considerable void on the offensive line, especially considering how it struggled last season following the departure of Frank Ragnow.
However, Mays’ debut with the Lions is going to have to wait several weeks, as he suffered a broken bone in his wrist during Training Camp.
In the latest update regarding his condition, longtime Lions beat writer Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press indicated that Mays informed them that he’s continuing his rehabilitation process, while noting there has been no talk of him potentially utilizing his other hand to snap the ball to quarterback Jared Goff.
“In his first public comments since the injury, Mays told the Free Press on Tuesday, Sept. 8, he’s rehabbing with trainers and waiting for their all-clear to return to practice, and he said there’s been no talk of him trying to snap with his left hand,” Birkett reported on Tuesday.
The Lions open the regular season on Sept. 13 against the visiting New Orleans Saints, and could potentially have Mays back around mid-October, just over a month later.
The Detroit Lions Were Excited To Sign Cade Mays In Free Agency
The Lions, who had a considerable void on the offensive line in Ragnow’s absence, were thrilled to be able to snag Mays off the free agent market.
“We were fired up to be able to get him,” head coach Dan Campbell said not long after the signing. “That was big for us, man. Being able to get that center piece. We feel like Mays can anchor. He can keep the pocket clean for (Jared) Goff up the middle, and we don’t feel restricted in the run game.”
He continued:
“We do feel like we can do the pin and pulls, the wide zones and gaps with him and we think he’s got enough versatility in all that,” Campbell said. “And he’s an ascending center. He really hasn’t played it that long. He’s getting better. We felt a lot of growth last year in that tape and they played really good opponents, a lot of them that we played.
“We just thought he had a really steady, solid season that’s ascending and we’re like, ‘Man, this guy upgrades us.’ So, we’re fired up to get him. It helps significantly.”
Cade Mays Is Entering His First Year With The Lions
Mays, who signed a three-year, $25 million contract with the Lions, explained that he’s a fan of their playing style under Campbell.
“I love the brand of football they play,” Mays said at his introductory press conference. “I feel like I would fit in here. Coming into free agency, I felt like this is the team where they fit what I do and I fit what they do.
“You look at what you want as a player and as a person, and obviously, coach Dan (Campbell) is my kind of guy, and I feel like I’m his kind of guy. You look at stuff like that, and you look at the brand of football they play.”
Top Lions Insider Reveals Latest On Injured Cade Mays