Lions’ Cade Mays sidelined 8-10 weeks with wrist fracture
Detroit Lions starting centre Cade Mays has sustained a wrist injury that will keep him out for approximately eight to ten weeks, with a projected return around Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has confirmed that starting centre Cade Mays will miss significant time after fracturing a small bone in his wrist. The injury occurred during training camp pass protection when a defensive lineman executed an arm-over move, an incident Campbell described as a freak occurrence. Mays, who was the team’s top free agent signing entering the season, had been performing well prior to the incident.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport provided further detail on the prognosis, clarifying that the specific nature and location of the bone fracture will sideline Mays for eight to ten weeks, rather than the initially hoped-for six to eight. Rapoport noted that while the timeline is not ideal, it is not the worst-case scenario for the player.
The short end of the recovery window places Mays’ potential return for Week 8, when the Lions host the Minnesota Vikings on 1 November. This schedule also aligns with the team’s Week 10 fixture, the NFL Munich Game against the New England Patriots in Germany on 15 November.
Campbell expressed confidence in Mays’ ability to recover in time for the postseason. “He’ll be ready for the playoffs. I do feel good about that,” Campbell said, while declining to provide a specific medical timeline on Monday morning. He acknowledged the disappointment for Mays, who had shown considerable growth in the system during the spring.
With Mays unavailable, Campbell identified Seth McLaughlin, Juice Scruggs, and Tate Ratledge as potential replacements at centre. The coach indicated that all three players would receive opportunities to prove themselves, stating that the situation presents a chance for the other linemen to step up. “We’ve got options. Listen, it’s the hand you’re dealt and you move on,” Campbell said.
