The legal tampering period has begun for NFL free agency. Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions wasted no time finding the centerpiece of their offensive line. The team has come to an agreement with former New York Giants and Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays.
The 26-year-old, former 6th round pick, will sign a 3-year $25 million deal that includes $14 million guaranteed. Detroit’s offensive line is a work in progress after releasing Graham Glasgow and left tackle Taylor Decker late last week. It looks like they found their center to finally replace All-Pro Frank Ragnow. How do the Lions look moving forward?
Cade Mays Will Make an Immediate Impact for Lions
Well, it wasn’t the dream signing of Tyler Linderbaum, who was considered a top free agent in the 2026 class. Linderbaum, the former Baltimore Ravens center, has signed a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in a 3-year deal worth $81 million and $60 million guaranteed. The Lions were never going to spend that kind of money.
What they did was find the 36th best free agent according to ESPN’s top 101 available players. Cade Mays was a pleasant surprise for the Carolina Panthers last season after stepping into the starting center role. The 27-year old Mays will now be part of his third franchise in his young career.
The Detroit Lions have plenty of holes to fill, including a couple on the offensive line. Mays joins the second-year guard Tate Ratledge and the best tackle in the NFL, Penei Sewell. The offensive line was a question mark last season for the Detroit Lions. After years of being the identity of the team, 2025 saw quite the drop off, and the team’s success reflected their play.
Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs both will benefit from upgrading the offensive line moving forward. As we know in Detroit, Goff is not the most mobile quarterback, but with a clean pocket, he can play as an elite QB. Gibbs, on the other hand, averaged about 70 yards a game. With improved protection, Sonic should return to being one of the best running backs in the entire league.
The team also has a task of finding a backup running back after the trade of David Montgomery. Now with fan favorite Alex Anzalone signing with the Tampa Bay Bucs, the Lions have their hands full with filling holes on the defensive side of the ball. With gaping questions for almost every defensive back position, and the dream of getting Aidan Hutchinson another pass rusher, this team may look very different in the fall.
Final Thoughts
Cade Mays may not be the sexy free agent you wanted. The Lions are believed to have made a great deal for the young center. They didn’t overpay for a position in need, and with Mays impressive showing last season with Carolina, Detroit can really benefit. The next moves they need to make are bringing in a right tackle, after most likely moving Sewell to the left side, and bringing in another guard.
As of now, the team is slightly better with the signing of Mays, and that’s the goal for Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, and the Detroit Lions. Instead of having a center carousel, they have solidified the need for at least the next three seasons. Now it’s time to fill out the rest of the team’s needs.
Point of Vision 