The Detroit Lions lost center Cade Mays to a wrist injury in early August. Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on August 10 the projected starting center would miss a “significant period of time.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided a few more specific details. Rapoport reported Mays fractured a small bone in his wrist and would be out 8-10 weeks.
Days before the roster cutdown deadline, a reporter asked Campbell if there was any clearer timetable on when Mays might be ready to return. The head coach gave a very brief non-update, update.
“No,” said Campbell.
The Lions signed Mays in NFL free agency during March. The veteran center received a 3-year, $25 million deal.
It was the most expensive contract the Lions agreed to during this past offseason.
Dan Campbell Doesn’t Have Clearer Picture on Cade Mays ReturnGettyDetroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell gave a 1-word injury update on center Cade Mays.
Whether or not no update on Mays is a good update depends on one’s perspective. If Mays is still targeting an 8-10 week absence, then he hasn’t suffered a setback.
But without a doubt, he will miss the early portion of the regular season.
It’s important to note that Campbell has never provided the 8-10 week recovery timeline publicly. So while Lions fans can expect Mays will miss that length of time because of Rapoport’s report, it has yet to be 100% confirmed.
The good news is Mays will be four weeks into his recovery before the Lions play their Week 1 matchup. The Lions also have an earlier bye this season during Week 6.
If he’s out for about 10 weeks, Mays could be ready to return for the Week 7 matchup against the Green Bay Packers on October 25. In that scenario, Mays would miss five games.
Mays spent the first four seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers. The team selected him at No. 199 overall in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
He played 11 games as a rookie, starting two of them. He slowly began playing more with each season in Carolina.
Last year, he started 12 of 14 games for the Panthers.
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