Lions Lose Starting Center Cade Mays to 'Freak' Training Camp Injury

The Detroit Lions have been hit by the injury bug once again in training camp.

On Monday, head coach Dan Campbell announced that center Cade Mays and running back Isiah Pacheco are both dealing with injuries. Mays has a wrist injury that Campbell said will cause him to miss a "significant" amount of time, while Pacheco has an MCL sprain.

Campbell categorized Mays' injury as a freak accident during a protection rep and noted that he will miss time in the regular season. A report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport put the initial timeline for Mays' return between 8 and 10 weeks, and noted that the injury is a fracture of a small bone in Mays' wrist.

"It was just in protection," Campbell said. "He was rushing, the D lineman made a arm-over move and chopped at it. It's one of those freak things."

Mays was signed to a three-year contract with the intention of being the team's long-term replacement at center for Frank Ragnow, who retired abruptly prior to last season. Veteran Graham Glasgow held the role in 2025 with mixed results, and was cut by the team prior to free agency.

Without Mays, the Lions will turn to some of their interior depth. Juice Scruggs, who the team acquired in the David Montgomery trade, is currently sidelined with a soft-tissue injury but is expected to compete for the job once he returns.

Seth McLaughlin, an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2025 who signed with the Lions on a futures deal this offseason, will also get an opportunity along with Michael Niese.

Tate Ratledge, who is expected to be the team's starting right guard but did spend time at center last year in training camp, will also get refreshed on playing the position.

"Those are the guys, that's why their here. Juice is dealing with a little bit of an injury, soft tissue. He won't be out there today," Campbell said. "It'll be still a few more days before he's back, but certainly Juice is a candidate. McLaughlin's gonna get looks, obviously. He'll probably run mostly with the ones today, Niese has done it and then Ratledge is gonna work. I don't see him doing team, but we've got to get him back up to speed with doing a little snapping just in case. We've got options. Listen, it's the hand you're dealt and you move on."

Pacheco, meanwhile, was signed in the offseason to be the backup to Jahmyr Gibbs after the team traded Montgomery to Houston. He becomes the second running back to suffer an injury, as Sione Vaki is already out after suffering a freak eye injury and a broken nose.

"It'll be a little bit. He's got a little MCL sprain, but we feel good about that," Campbell said. "We feel pretty good about him being ready to go certainly when the season gets here."

With Vaki and Pacheco both sidelined and Gibbs only recently returning after a contract-related hold-in to start camp, the Lions have given plenty of opportunities to Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small. Campbell noted Monday that he is encouraged with the performance of both players.

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