The Detroit Lions just lost their prized free-agent center for a chunk of the season. Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed Monday that Cade Mays suffered a wrist injury in practice that will keep him out for what Campbell called “a significant” amount of time — and the timeline attached to it stings.
Mays fractured a small bone in his wrist, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who reported the injury could sideline him for up to 10 weeks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report the injury itself, writing on X that Mays “suffered a wrist injury that now will result in him missing what HC Dan Campbell called ‘a significant’ amount of time.” Both reports have since been corroborated by ESPN and NBC Sports, putting his expected absence at roughly eight to 10 weeks.
Lions center Cade Mays suffered a wrist injury that now will result in him missing what HC Dan Campbell called “a significant” amount of time.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 10, 2026
Campbell didn’t offer a hard return date when he addressed the injury in his Monday press conference, but he made one thing clear: Mays isn’t done for the year. “He will be out for a significant period of time,” Campbell said. “He will be back for the season at some point, but it’ll be down the road.”
The injury lands hard because of how the offseason unfolded. Detroit signed Mays to a three-year, $25 million deal in free agency specifically to fill the void left by Frank Ragnow’s retirement. He’d been holding up his end of the bargain, too — Campbell said Mays was having a strong camp and had grown noticeably within the offense since the spring. Now that continuity is on pause.
Who Steps In at Center for the Lions?
The center room isn’t exactly stacked with options right now. Backup Juice Scruggs, acquired from Houston as part of the David Montgomery trade, is also out with a soft tissue injury and isn’t expected back for a few more days. That leaves the door open for Seth McLaughlin, a 2026 free-agent addition who signed a reserve/future deal in January after going undrafted out of Ohio State.
Pride of Detroit’s Jeremy Reisman reported on X that McLaughlin will take over the bulk of first-team center reps, at least for Monday’s practice. Michael Niese, a veteran lineman who’s been with Detroit since 2023, is also expected to see time at center in the interim. Campbell said the Lions will even give Tate Ratledge a look at the position in drills, though not with the starting group.
McLaughlin’s path here is notable. He won the Rimington Trophy as college football’s top center at Ohio State, spent 2025 on Cincinnati’s practice squad, and now finds himself with a real shot to claim snaps in Detroit’s first preseason game against the Bengals on Thursday — fittingly, against his old team.
Offensive Line Situation at a Glance
| Player | Position | Status | Expected Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Mays | Center (starter) | Fractured wrist | 8-10 weeks |
| Juice Scruggs | Center (backup) | Soft tissue injury | A few days |
| Seth McLaughlin | Center (depth) | Healthy | First-team reps now |
An 8-10 week absence puts Mays on track to potentially return around the midpoint of the regular season, depending on how his recovery and Detroit’s early schedule line up. Until then, the interior of the offensive line is officially in flux for a team that already reworked its front this offseason by sliding All-Pro Penei Sewell to left tackle.
Lions Also Managing Injuries Elsewhere
Mays isn’t the only newcomer banged up in Allen Park. Running back Isiah Pacheco, brought in to replace Montgomery after his trade to Houston, sprained his MCL in a recent practice, per Schefter’s report on X. Campbell said he’s “not concerned” about the injury and expects Pacheco back in time for Detroit’s Week 1 home game against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 13.
It adds to an already crowded injury report. Detroit’s secondary may open the season without both starting safeties, as Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph continue working back from an Achilles injury and a knee injury, respectively. Campbell has said Branch could return to practice in late camp or early September, while Joseph making it back for Week 1 would be “a bonus.”
None of this is new territory for a Lions team that’s dealt with a heavy injury load in recent seasons. Training camp practices at the Meijer Performance Center have carried an uneasy undercurrent the last two days as one physical, high-contact period after another has claimed a projected starter. For a roster built to contend, the margin for further attrition is shrinking with the season opener five weeks away.
Detroit still has a full month of training camp and preseason to sort out its interior line rotation. Whether that means signing a veteran free agent, leaning further into McLaughlin, or riding out Scruggs’ short absence, the Lions have decisions to make — and not much time to make them.
