Cade Mays is among the first offensive linemen to reach agreement on a new deal early in the negotiating period. The veteran center is heading to Detroit.
A Lions deal has been arranged, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. This will be a three-year, $25MM pact, Joe Person of The Athletic adds. Mays will collect $14MM guaranteed.
A 2022 sixth-round pick by the Panthers, Mays couldn’t have picked a better time for a breakout campaign. He served as an occasional starter through his first two years in the NFL, starting seven of his 27 appearances. That led to him subsequently bouncing around the NFL a bit, but he ended up returning to Carolina and spent the majority of the 2024 campaign on the active roster, starting eight of his 11 appearances.
He stuck in Carolina via a RFA tender last offseason and proceeded to have a career year. He started 12 of his 14 appearances filling in for an injured Austin Corbett, leading to a career-high 727 offensive snaps. He graded out 24th among 37 qualifying centers on Pro Football Focus positional rankings, with the site being particularly bullish on his pass-blocking skills.
The Lions clearly believe he can continue being a full-time starting center in Detroit. The organization struggled to fill the role following the retirement of Frank Ragnow. There was a possibility that Tate Ratledge could end up taking over the gig, but he’ll instead stick at his preferred position at right guard.
Ben Levine contributed to this report.
Good pickup for them
I have no clue who this is
You can literally click on their name and pull up their ProFootballReference page.
But either way he’s a semi-recently drafted OL who has been both a guard and Center for Carolina and wasn’t a frequent starter until 2024. He’s also huge, and his size is part of why people thought of him as a future guard.
He’s considered on that second or third tier of free agent Centers but has upside.
I did. What stats for a center are we supposed to look for to determine how good he is?
Sacks allowed, false starts, and the general efficiency of the offense. A really good Center anchors the line and makes the offense work while making second level blocks in the run game.
Imo Centers and Guards you have to watch tape because they’re expected to do so much in the run game and to an extent the pass game with the stunts and twists defensively and the screens and complex run schemes etc.
But either way, Cade Mays was a very well known player coming out of Tennessee.
I think this could be a sneaky very good signing. He sure looked like a starting caliber center and he’s only about to turn 27. If his best football is coming now, getting him at this price in a very competitive interior line market is good business.
Not bad money for him. Hes not great. But he’s about what Rhyan has shown. For less money. Rhyan has a higher ceiling but hasn’t shown more yet.
Of the three NFCN OCs. The packers have the best player. But the Lions have the best deal.
Coming from a guy that gave up on his own team, I’ll consider the source. 🤣
Gave up on my team? Whatchutalkinbout, Willis?
Goff better hope this revamped OL can hold up, or that offense is in trouble
Actually, the offense wasn’t in trouble at all last season – it simply wasn’t as good as before. So any possible improvement would be welcome in Detroit.
Gruß,
BSHH
It was in trouble late in the season and against teams with good pass rushes. Goff can’t function without a good line.
The knock on Goff In LA was if you rattle him, he loses it. He had a great OL in Detroit and he played well. Takeaway that great OL and see what happens. I’ll use the game vs Philly last year where he was downright bad.