NFL free agent grades: Cade Mays provides Lions stability at the pivot

Last week, as more centers such as Drew Dalman and Ryan Kelly retired, the scarcity at the position really highlighted how demand far outweighs supply at center this offseason, both in the current free agent class and the upcoming NFL Draft. As I wrote in my free agent bargain-bin offensive line article, I didn’t expect the Lions to be in the market for the highly priced Tyler Linderbaum or Connor McGovern, but that Cade Mays or veteran Ethan Pocic might make the most sense for them.

Then the Bears

signed Tyler Biadasz, and it was announced that the Bills had re-signed Connor McGovern, and the position continued to thin out.

So it was much to my pleasure when it was reported that the Lions had signed Cade Mays to a three-year, $25 million deal with $14 million guaranteed, meaning Mays will likely be the Lions’ starting center for at least the next two seasons.

Here’s how Mays will impact the 2025 Lions, how his signing shapes the rest of the team’s offseason strategy, and my grade for the move.

Who is Cade Mays?

Mays was actually a freshman All-American at Georgia at right guard, a position he spent most of his first three college seasons playing (two at Georgia and then his first at Tennessee after transferring), before moving to right tackle as a senior and having his best season (second-team All-SEC).

Mays was a sixth-round pick for the Cardinals, where he was used as a sixth offensive lineman as a rookie and then made five total starts between left guard and right guard while struggling as a pass blocker. It’s hard to say those first two seasons under the failed Matt Rhule and Frank Reich regimes did him any favors.

He was eventually waived during final roster cuts in Dave Canales’ first training camp, spent time on the Giants’ practice squad in September, and was brought back to the Panthers after Week 5 of the 2024 season.

In Week 8, a few weeks after Carolina signed Mays back, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu went down, forcing the Panthers to move center Brady Christensen to the blindside spot with Mays taking over at the pivot. When Ekwonu returned in Week 12, the team announced that Mays would remain the starting center.

After he was named the starter, numerous Panthers players and coaches had strong praise for Mays.

Head coach Dave Canales said of Mays:

“Just an eagerness, an eagerness to be able to help in any way, any way possible. And just a willingness to apply himself and to get after it. So, I just kind of saw that look in his eyes, the gratitude; here we go, get another chance to get back and help.”

Pro Bowl guard Robert Hunt added:

“He’s a hell of a football player. He’s a smart cat.”

Mays played well in his first season starting at the position, starting eight of the final nine games. However, he wasn’t guaranteed the job entering 2025 and lost a close training camp battle to Detroit native Austin Corbett, who had been the team’s opening day starter at the position from 2022–24.

Corbett eventually got hurt, as he had the previous two seasons, and Mays once again stepped in. Just like the previous year, he took over and started 13 of the final 16 games as the point man of the offense.

How good is Mays?

It’s worth noting that the Panthers were a much better team over the past two seasons in games started by Mays (9–11) than in games he did not start (4–10). He was also the starting center when Bryce Young returned to the lineup after being benched earlier in the season, when Young’s career appeared to be on life support. From that point forward, Young began playing more comfortable and confident football, reviving both his career trajectory and the Panthers’ belief in him.

Mays was also a big factor in Rico Dowdle finding success in the run game this season.

That said, the Panthers still had Mays compete with Corbett in training camp and ultimately allowed him to walk in free agency, though it’s worth noting Carolina has spent aggressively in recent offseasons and is not exactly flush with cap space.

Offensive line analyst Brandon Thorn ranked Mays as the 12th-best free agent offensive lineman and highlighted his aggressive, brawling style. Thorn also called 2025 Mays’ best season and noted that he ideally needs the right environment to succeed—something the Lions’ offense should provide.

National outlets also viewed Mays favorably. He ranked as The Athletic’s Daniel Popper’s 36th overall free agent (third center), ESPN’s Matt Bowen’s 39th overall free agent (third center), and NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal’s 41st overall free agent (third center). He was consistently viewed as the best free agent center option after Tyler Linderbaum and Connor McGovern.

Mays (6-foot-4 3/4 and 311 pounds) is very similar in size to former All-Pro center Frank Ragnow (6-foot-5 1/8 and 312 pounds). Like Ragnow, he helps lock down the interior of the pocket like a bank vault while bringing a mauling demeanor to the spear of the offense, though he lacks some of Ragnow’s movement skills, particularly in zone blocking and getting to the second level. What will be especially fun to watch are the double teams between Mays and newly solidified right guard Tate Ratledge, a pairing that should generate plenty of movement at the point of attack.

Mays finished as PFF’s 14th-highest graded center in 2024 (minimum 400 snaps) with a 66.1 blocking grade and then ranked 22nd last season with a 62.4 blocking grade. However, he graded as PFF’s 11th-best pass-blocking center with a 69.4 grade. Over the last two seasons, among 36 qualifying centers, Mays tied for 13th with just a 3.0 percent pressure rate allowed as a pass blocker.

Mays still has some deficiencies in the run game, but he can at least handle heavy nose tackles at the point of attack. He also showed significant improvement as a pass blocker this past season by playing more square and controlled, and he should continue to improve with more experience at the position.

At minimum, the Lions are getting a competent, above-average center who can pack a punch and help reset the line of scrimmage—something the offense sorely missed last season.

How does this affect the Lions?

This move was a pivotal box to check in the Lions’ offseason and, more importantly, in their quest to dominate the trenches again. They now have at least three long-term starters penciled in for the next two to three seasons in Mays, Ratledge, and Penei Sewell—all three of whom are physically imposing players who bring a bully mentality.

Short term, Detroit may also have another starting guard on the roster in either Christian Mahogany or Miles Frazier, along with a capable swing tackle in Larry Borom (who could start at tackle in a pinch) and a capable backup center in Juice Scruggs, who can also fill in at guard if needed.

The Lions could be content entering the 2026 season with one of Mahogany or Frazier as a starting guard, though it’s also difficult to rule out them pursuing a more immediate upgrade in free agency or if the early portion of the draft board falls that way. Drafting the future bookend opposite Penei Sewell—whether at left or right tackle—now becomes the top priority of the offseason.

The center position can effectively be ruled out in the 2026 NFL Draft unless a player they truly love unexpectedly falls. Signing Mays allows Detroit to focus on that future pillar at tackle and potentially upgrading at guard.

Was he worth the price?

Considering Spotrac projected Mays’ market value at over $12 million per year—and that Tyler Linderbaum is now making a staggering $27 million annually—signing Mays for $25 million total over three years looks like strong value. The contract looks even more team-friendly when you consider that Linderbaum is making $9 million more per year than Creed Humphrey, a gap that alone exceeds Mays’ entire $8.3 million annual salary.

At $8.3 million per year, Mays is only the ninth-highest paid center in the league. There are only a handful of non-rookie contract centers below him on the salary list who could reasonably be considered above replacement-level starters.

The affordability of the deal is what makes this signing particularly satisfying for Detroit.

Final thoughts and grade

Grade: B+

There are some minor concerns that Mays missed a few games due to an ankle injury last season and dealt with some ankle and knee issues in college. However, he has largely been durable at the NFL level, so the injuries are not a major concern.

The bigger question is experience, as Mays has only started 21 games at center. But that can also be viewed positively—he’s a player still gaining comfort at the position and continuing to improve.

The Lions want to rediscover their identity. Adding Drew Petzing should help in that regard, but the signing of Mays should also help them reset the tone up front, getting back to punishing opponents’ souls, and grinding their bones into dust by the fourth quarter with a dominant run game. Mays should also help Tate Ratledge, and Ratledge should help Mays. The two can grow together and make each other better.

Finally, Mays will be critical in helping Jared Goff and the offensive line handle pre-snap communication and protection calls while restoring integrity to the interior passing pocket—an area where missed assignments, quick sacks, and interior leakage caused problems at times last season.

There is a real chance that in ten months we look at Cade Mays’ contract and realize he’s one of the most underpaid centers in all of football.