The Detroit Lions are suddenly patching together the middle of their offense again, and this time the hit comes at center.
On Monday, Dan Campbell said Cade Mays is dealing with a wrist injury that will keep him out for a “significant” stretch. Campbell also said running back Isiah Pacheco has an MCL sprain. Both injuries surfaced in training camp, adding another layer of stress to a roster that has already been juggling absences.
Mays’ injury happened on a protection rep, and Campbell described it as the kind of random, ugly break that can happen in camp. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported the early timetable for Mays at 8 to 10 weeks and said the injury is a fracture of a small bone in his wrist.
“It was just in protection," Campbell said. "He was rushing, the D lineman made a arm-over move and chopped at it. It's one of those freak things."
The Lions had brought Mays in on a three-year deal with the expectation that he would eventually take over at center after Frank Ragnow retired abruptly before last season. Graham Glasgow handled the position in 2025, but the results were mixed and the team moved on from him before free agency.
Now Detroit has to lean on its depth chart. Juice Scruggs, who came over in the David Montgomery trade, is currently out with a soft-tissue injury, though Campbell said he should be in the mix once he’s back.
Seth McLaughlin, an undrafted free agent from Ohio State in 2025 who signed a futures deal with the Lions this offseason, will also get a look. Michael Niese is part of that group too.
Tate Ratledge is expected to start at right guard, but he has also taken center reps before in camp, and Campbell said the team will refresh him there as well.
"Those are the guys, that's why their here. Juice is dealing with a little bit of an injury, soft tissue.
He won't be out there today," Campbell said. "It'll be still a few more days before he's back, but certainly Juice is a candidate.
McLaughlin's gonna get looks, obviously. He'll probably run mostly with the ones today, Niese has done it and then Ratledge is gonna work.
I don't see him doing team, but we've got to get him back up to speed with doing a little snapping just in case. We've got options.
Listen, it's the hand you're dealt and you move on."
Pacheco’s setback gives the Lions another problem at running back. He was added this offseason to back up Jahmyr Gibbs after Montgomery was traded to Houston, and he now joins Sione Vaki on the sideline. Vaki is already out after a freak eye injury and a broken nose.
Campbell said Pacheco’s issue is not expected to linger into the season.
"It'll be a little bit. He's got a little MCL sprain, but we feel good about that," Campbell said. "We feel pretty good about him being ready to go certainly when the season gets here."
With Vaki and Pacheco out and Gibbs only recently back after a contract-related hold-in to begin camp, Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small have been getting plenty of reps. Campbell said Monday he’s been encouraged by both of them.
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