Throughout the offseason, SB Nation will host surveys for NFL fans, sponsored by FanDuel Sportsbook. For Pride of Detroit, we are tasked with fielding questions from Detroit Lions fans, and this week’s question focuses on the injury to starting center Cade Mays and how the offensive line will need to adapt.
On Monday, coach Dan Campbell announced that starting center Cade Mays suffered a wrist injury and is expected to miss “a significant period of time.” According to national reports, Mays broke a small bone in his wrist and is anticipated to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks, meaning there is a possible chance he returns after the Lions’ Week 5 bye.
While the Lions could look to add an offensive lineman to challenge for the open role, with Mays likely only missing the start of the season, a limited free agent pool, and challenging trade options, it’s more likely they will test their own depth for a replacement.
The Lions plan to challenge several of their depth players to step up and compete for the starting center role, but the early expectation is that Juice Scruggs—whom the Lions traded for because of his starting experience and positional range—is the early frontrunner for the job. Unfortunately, Scruggs is dealing with a soft tissue injury, and while he is expected to return to practice in the near future, his absence has opened the door for more competition.
Seth McLaughlin has primarily been working with the starters since Mays’ injury, indicating the former Rimington Award winner could be next in line. Michael Niese has previously held the Lions backup center position and is also expected to be in the mix, though it’s worth noting that he’s been repping at guard most of training camp. A few others will also be cross-trained at center to see if they can give the Lions the best chance of winning, including starting right guard Tate Ratledge and rookie undrafted free agent Melvin Priestly.
The Lions will have just under three weeks’ worth of practices and three preseason games to help them decide their best options on the offensive line, but it’s clear this situation has raised the difficulty level for the offensive line as a whole.
And that leads us to this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey question:
What’s your concern level for the Lions’ offensive line after Cade Mays’ injury?
In THE FEED poll below, you can pick one of four options for your level of concern for the offensive line, while also explaining why you picked your selection in the comment sections of this article and in THE FEED. And with that, it’s time to vote. Make sure to check back with Pride of Detroit later in the week for the results.
What's your concern level for the Lions' offensive line after Cade Mays' injury?
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