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New Lions C Cade Mays: 'They fit what I do and I fit what they do'
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- New Lions C Cade Mays: 'They fit what I do and I fit what they do'
Before he officially became a free agent, Cade Mays knew he wanted to be a Detroit Lion .
"I love the brand of football they play," Mays said in his introductory news conference Thursday, March 12. "Coming into free agency I felt like this was a team where they fit what I do and I fit what they do. So, really looking forward to it."
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The Lions officially signed Mays to a three-year, $25 million contract Thursday to be the new center on their revamped offensive line.
Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays on the sideline in the fourth quarter of an NFL game at Bank of America Stadium, Sept. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Mays started 20 games at the position the past two years with the Carolina Panthers after beginning his NFL career as a guard and seeing time at all five positions in college.
He said he felt drawn to the Lions because of their physical style of play and coach Dan Campbell.
"My kind of guy," Mays said. "And I feel like I'm his kind of guy. So you look at stuff like that, you look at the brand of football they play, like I said, hard-nosed and wanting to move people vertically and get the run game going. All that stuff kind of goes into play."
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Mays, who turns 27 in April, was considered one of the top centers in free agency this year despite his relative inexperience at the position.
He started games at both tackle and both guard spots during college stops at Tennessee and Georgia, but played only one game at center as a backup.
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When Mays moved to center full-time in his third season with the Panthers, he said he studied tape of former Lions center Frank Ragnow to help his transition.
"Hell of a player," Mays said. "Got an incredible career here. Loved what he put on tape. Was really a guy I studied when I moved to center, just the way that he played and tried to model my game after that. Just my kind of guy in the sense of how he plays the game and how he goes about his work."
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With the Lions, Mays is expected to replace Graham Glasgow in the middle of a line that will have at least two new starters this fall.
The Lions cut Glasgow and longtime left tackle Taylor Decker earlier this month, and signed Mays and tackle Larry Borom in free agency.
Borom is expected to compete for playing time at one tackle spot after starting 11 games at right tackle for the Miami Dolphins last season. He played left tackle (and some guard) early in his career with the Chicago Bears .
Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays takes the field as he is introduced prior to the NFC wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on Jan. 10, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Lions could move All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to the left side to replace Decker, added guard Juice Scruggs in a trade with the Houston Texans and return starting guards Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany .
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Mays, who has not allowed a sack the past two seasons at center according to Pro Football Focus, said he takes "pride in keeping the quarterback clean and keeping our backs clean" and is "super excited" to do it now in Detroit .
"I still feel like I'm on the rise at the position," Mays said. "I've come a long way, but I feel like I'm just now getting on my way up. So I feel like I've got a long way to go and I'm excited for this journey."
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky , X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cade Mays on signing with Detroit Lions: 'I fit what they do'
