Giants guard Cade Mays.
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The New York Giants have signed former Carolina Panthers guard Cade Mays.
The Detroit Lions have seen some big changes to their offensive line, a unit that was behind one of the league’s top offenses over the last three seasons.
While the team faced some unplanned losses over the last year, they are also earning praise for one under-the-radar addition in free agency. The addition could help fill the void from some of the departures while also coming at an affordable cost.
Lions Make Strong Addition to Middle of Their Offensive Line
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks identified some of the best “overlooked” additions this free agency season, giving the Lions praise for signing center Cade Mays to a three-year deal worth $25 million.
Brooks noted that Mays has shown promise during his limited opportunities with the Carolina Panthers, showing that he has what it takes to become a starter. The Lions have been seeking a steady presence since the retirement of Frank Ragnow in 2025, Brooks wrote, and Mays could fill that role.
“The 2022 sixth-round pick showed the football world that he was a capable center in Carolina last season, logging 12 starts as an emergency fill-in — and looking like a 10-year veteran, protecting Bryce Young in the pocket and blowing open holes for Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle,” Brooks wrote.
Brooks added that Mays appears to fit the tough, grinding style favored by head coach Dan Campbell. His proven pass-blocking ability will be a boon to Jared Goff, who struggled when opposing teams were able to generate pressure up front.
“This marriage between a rough-and-rugged franchise and a trench warrior who has not allowed a sack in his last 21 starts (including playoffs), per PFF, looks like a perfect fit,” Brooks wrote.
Lions Lose Another Starter
The Lions faced another unplanned subtraction to their offensive line this offseason when veteran Taylor Decker requested his release. While the move does create $11.6 million in cap space, it also left the Lions without one of their most steady veterans.
As reporter Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit noted, the release request from Decker was an odd and unexpected ending to his tenure with the team.
“It’s an odd end to Decker’s tenure with the Lions,” Reisman wrote. “Selected 16th overall in the 2016 draft by the Lions, Decker has remained loyal to the team through both the good times and the bad. He has been a leader on the field and a captain in the locker room. Last year, Decker fought through a nagging, painful shoulder injury that required an exhaustive amount of pre-hab and rehab. Despite that, he still started 14 of 17 games and provided above-average play. In total, Decker’s career ends with 140 total starts for the Lions over 10 seasons.”
The Lions have made some other changes on offense, shipping away veteran running back David Montgomery in a move that paves the way for Jahmry Gibbs to take on an even bigger role. Gibbs was able to top 1,000 rushing yards despite splitting carries with Montgomery, but now is expected to take on a larger share of carries and receptions.