Lions C Cade Mays: No. 12 Ranked Player is Key to OL Success in 2026

The Detroit Lions have big plans for newly signed center Cade Mays.

After the retirement of Frank Ragnow left the team without its longtime center last year, the Lions went out and inked Mays to a three-year deal this offseason with hopes that he can take the reins for the future.

Mays enters the season as the team's most valuable free agent signing, as he was the only one who inked a multi-year deal. He plays a pivotal position on Detroit's offensive line, and as a result enters the season as the team's No. 12 most important player for the 2026 season.

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Why Mays is so important

The center position is one of the most important in all of football, as they control the offensive line. Mays will be tasked with making calls and orienting the line the way Ragnow did that made him a staple for nearly a decade in Detroit's offensive line.

Mays is a veteran who the team believes is capable of handling this role efficiently. While Penei Sewell is the alpha of the offensive line and perhaps the entire team, Mays' ability to identify blitzes and make the right calls will be just as important to the team's success.

If the Lions can get efficiency from their new center, it puts them on a path to an efficient run game that they lacked at times last year. It would help the team's consistency as a whole, and go a long way toward making the Lions one of the NFL's top offenses once again.

Mays' strengths and weaknesses

Mays is an intriguing addition for a multitude of reasons. While he will be looked to as a key cog in the team's operation, he is also relatively new to the position at the NFL level. He began his career as a guard, and really only became the Panthers' starter at center after an injury early last season.

As a result, the Lions feel that he is ascending at the position and still has a high ceiling to reach. He is viewed as an efficient run-blocker, which was helped by his experience playing the guard position in Carolina early in his career.

Because he is still relatively new to the position, some growing pains could be endured early in the year. However, the Lions are banking on him to give them an impact similar to what Ragnow provided with his ability to handle the pivot position based on what they saw in his reps there in Carolina.

What happens if Mays gets injured?

Graham Glasgow, who was a versatile veteran who played center last year, is gone. As a result, the team is somewhat thin on center depth behind Mays. OTAs and minicamp were conducted without pads, so not much can be gleaned as far as the depth behind Mays at this position.

On the roster, the Lions currently have a couple of options. Juice Scruggs was acquired in the David Montgomery trade and has the versatility to play any of the interior positions, and did spend some time as the second-team center during offseason workouts.

Additionally, the team took a futures contract flyer on Seth McLaughlin. The Ohio State product was one of the top center prospects in the 2025 draft before suffering a ruptured Achilles. If he's able to impress in camp, he's a darkhorse to make the roster likely as Mays' backup.

The Lions are counting on Mays to be a big part of their offense, and as a result any possible injury would be a big blow to their plans.

Why we ranked Mays here

The Lions want to get back to their standard of a run-first, efficient offense. This formula works best behind a tough offensive line, and having a solid center would be the key to that. As a result, Mays has plenty of importance riding with him in his first year with his new team.

Mays also is a player the Lions made a lengthy investment in with his three-year contract. He has the chance to make a big impact in his first year with the team, as the veteran will be walking into a massive role in 2026.

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