When it rains, it pours for the Detroit Lions. The dog days of training camp might be here, and they just lost another key soldier. According to head coach Dan Campbell, veteran center Cade Mays will be on the shelf for a while.
The Lions signed Mays from the Carolina Panthers to a three-year deal to replace Frank Ragnow. Now, Mays will be out indefinitely, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He suffered a 'freak' accident during a protection rep:
"It was just in protection," Coach Campbell said (h/t Sports Illustrated). "He was rushing, the D lineman made an arm-over move and chopped at it. It's one of those freak things."
There's still hope that Cade Mays can play for the Lions this season
At least, not all hope is lost. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport revealed that Mays fractured a small bone in his wrist. If that's the case, he might be back on the field in 8-10 weeks, so he could play as early as mid-October.
That's obviously a more encouraging outlook. The Lions desperately need their anchor in the interior, and expectations were sky-high for Frank Ragnow's de facto replacement after his sudden retirement in 2025. Graham Glasgow was a bit of a mixed bag last season, and he's not even with the team anymore.
Mays' injury leaves the Lions extremely thin at the position. Former Houston Texans IOL Juice Scruggs should be the leading candidate to handle the bulk of the reps, but he's currently out with an injury of his own. They also have Michael Niese and Seth McLaughlin, an undrafted free agent who signed a futures contract with the Lions.
Coach Campbell could also consider thinking outside the box and moving some pieces around. Tate Raledge looked poised to start at right guard, but the Lions already tried him out at center last year, so he might be another option.
They can always try to bring Glasgow back, as he remains unsigned, or maybe go after a familiar foe in former Chicago Bears C Ryan Bates. Other than that, there aren't many proven options still up for grabs, and they may have to work out a trade.
At least Mays is expected to return at some point in the season, if Rapoport's report is accurate. That said, the fact that Coach Campbell didn't want to commit to any timeline might cast doubt on the severity of this injury.
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