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The Detroit Lions still have a problem at center, but the situation is not nearly as daunting as it first appeared.
Cade Mays, who Detroit targeted this offseason to strengthen the middle of its offensive line, fractured a small bone in his wrist and is expected to miss roughly 8 to 10 weeks. That timeline is far more encouraging than Dan Campbell’s earlier suggestion that Mays might not return until the playoffs.
If his recovery stays on schedule, Mays could be back before the midpoint of the regular season.
That changes the equation for Brad Holmes.
Detroit may not need to find a long-term replacement. It may simply need a veteran capable of holding things together for the first several weeks of the season.
There are still options available. Graham Glasgow, James Daniels and Ryan Bates are all veteran free agents with center experience who could make sense for the Lions.
Here are three names Detroit should consider.
Sometimes the simplest answer is still the best one.
Bring Graham Glasgow back.
Glasgow started at center for the Lions in 2025, so the familiarity is already built in. He knows Jared Goff, the offense, the terminology and many of the players around him.
For a temporary solution, that matters.
Detroit would not be asking Glasgow to become the long-term answer at center again. The Lions would be asking him to provide stability for the first part of the season while Mays works his way back.
His 2025 season was not dominant. PFF gave Glasgow a 56.8 overall grade, with a 61.3 pass-blocking grade and a 54.3 run-blocking grade. Across 873 offensive snaps, he allowed 19 pressures, eight quarterback hits and one sack while committing two penalties.
Those numbers help explain why Detroit looked to upgrade the position.
They also do not erase the value of experience.
With Mays potentially returning before the season reaches its halfway point, Glasgow would not need to be the answer for 17 games. He would need to keep the operation clean, protect Goff and give Detroit a reliable bridge.
That is a much more reasonable assignment.
2025 PFF numbers: 56.8 overall, 61.3 pass blocking, 54.3 run blocking, 873 snaps, 19 pressures allowed, 1 sack allowed.
James Daniels is listed primarily as a guard, but his experience across the interior makes him worth a phone call.
The former Iowa standout has 85 career NFL starts, including eight at center, along with plenty of work at both guard spots. That versatility could give Dan Campbell and offensive line coach Hank Fraley more flexibility while Mays is sidelined.
The obvious question is health.
Daniels played only three offensive snaps for Miami in 2025 before landing on injured reserve. PFF gave him a 59.6 overall grade, 71.0 in pass protection and 59.4 as a run blocker, but three snaps are far too small a sample to mean much.
His 2024 performance is more interesting. Before his season ended after four games, Daniels posted a 92.9 overall PFF grade.
If Detroit’s medical staff likes what it sees, Daniels could offer more upside than a typical late-summer free-agent signing.
And with Mays now expected back within 8 to 10 weeks, the Lions would not necessarily need Daniels to carry the position deep into December.
2025 PFF numbers: 59.6 overall, 71.0 pass blocking, 59.4 run blocking, 3 offensive snaps, 0 pressures allowed, 0 sacks allowed.
Ryan Bates would be more of a depth play.
The former Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears lineman has experience at multiple interior positions and could give Detroit another veteran body capable of competing at center and guard.
There is not much 2025 film to evaluate because Bates did not play an offensive snap for Chicago last season.
That makes him a tougher sell as someone Detroit should immediately trust with the starting center job.
As an inexpensive veteran brought in to compete, provide insurance and help the Lions survive the opening stretch of the season? That makes more sense.
The shorter Mays timeline actually helps Bates’ case. Detroit may not need a high-end replacement. It may need a competent stopgap.
2025 PFF numbers: 0 offensive snaps, no qualifying PFF grade, 0 sacks allowed, 0 pressures allowed.
The updated Mays timeline changes this discussion quite a bit.
If Detroit believed it would be without Mays until January, Holmes might have needed to pursue the best available center regardless of cost or fit.
An 8-to-10-week absence is different.
Now the Lions can think in terms of a bridge.
That makes Glasgow especially appealing.
He already has chemistry with Goff. He already understands the protection system. He already knows what Campbell expects from the offense.
There would be very little time wasted getting him acclimated.
Detroit moved on because it believed Mays could upgrade the position. Reuniting with Glasgow for a few months would not reverse that decision.
It would simply give the Lions a veteran safety net until Mays is ready to take over again.
Brad Holmes still has work to do, but the Cade Mays injury no longer looks like a season-long crisis.
With Mays expected to miss 8 to 10 weeks, Detroit may only need a temporary answer at center before getting its preferred starter back sometime before the midpoint of the regular season.
Graham Glasgow remains the cleanest fit, James Daniels offers upside if healthy, and Ryan Bates could provide inexpensive depth.
The shorter recovery timeline makes one thing clear: Detroit does not need to find the perfect center.
It needs to find the right bridge.
Continue reading...
Cade Mays, who Detroit targeted this offseason to strengthen the middle of its offensive line, fractured a small bone in his wrist and is expected to miss roughly 8 to 10 weeks. That timeline is far more encouraging than Dan Campbell’s earlier suggestion that Mays might not return until the playoffs.
If his recovery stays on schedule, Mays could be back before the midpoint of the regular season.
That changes the equation for Brad Holmes.
Detroit may not need to find a long-term replacement. It may simply need a veteran capable of holding things together for the first several weeks of the season.
There are still options available. Graham Glasgow, James Daniels and Ryan Bates are all veteran free agents with center experience who could make sense for the Lions.
Here are three names Detroit should consider.
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1. Graham Glasgow
Sometimes the simplest answer is still the best one.
Bring Graham Glasgow back.
Glasgow started at center for the Lions in 2025, so the familiarity is already built in. He knows Jared Goff, the offense, the terminology and many of the players around him.
For a temporary solution, that matters.
Detroit would not be asking Glasgow to become the long-term answer at center again. The Lions would be asking him to provide stability for the first part of the season while Mays works his way back.
His 2025 season was not dominant. PFF gave Glasgow a 56.8 overall grade, with a 61.3 pass-blocking grade and a 54.3 run-blocking grade. Across 873 offensive snaps, he allowed 19 pressures, eight quarterback hits and one sack while committing two penalties.
Those numbers help explain why Detroit looked to upgrade the position.
They also do not erase the value of experience.
With Mays potentially returning before the season reaches its halfway point, Glasgow would not need to be the answer for 17 games. He would need to keep the operation clean, protect Goff and give Detroit a reliable bridge.
That is a much more reasonable assignment.
2025 PFF numbers: 56.8 overall, 61.3 pass blocking, 54.3 run blocking, 873 snaps, 19 pressures allowed, 1 sack allowed.
2. James Daniels
James Daniels is listed primarily as a guard, but his experience across the interior makes him worth a phone call.
The former Iowa standout has 85 career NFL starts, including eight at center, along with plenty of work at both guard spots. That versatility could give Dan Campbell and offensive line coach Hank Fraley more flexibility while Mays is sidelined.
The obvious question is health.
Daniels played only three offensive snaps for Miami in 2025 before landing on injured reserve. PFF gave him a 59.6 overall grade, 71.0 in pass protection and 59.4 as a run blocker, but three snaps are far too small a sample to mean much.
His 2024 performance is more interesting. Before his season ended after four games, Daniels posted a 92.9 overall PFF grade.
If Detroit’s medical staff likes what it sees, Daniels could offer more upside than a typical late-summer free-agent signing.
And with Mays now expected back within 8 to 10 weeks, the Lions would not necessarily need Daniels to carry the position deep into December.
2025 PFF numbers: 59.6 overall, 71.0 pass blocking, 59.4 run blocking, 3 offensive snaps, 0 pressures allowed, 0 sacks allowed.
3. Ryan Bates
Ryan Bates would be more of a depth play.
The former Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears lineman has experience at multiple interior positions and could give Detroit another veteran body capable of competing at center and guard.
There is not much 2025 film to evaluate because Bates did not play an offensive snap for Chicago last season.
That makes him a tougher sell as someone Detroit should immediately trust with the starting center job.
As an inexpensive veteran brought in to compete, provide insurance and help the Lions survive the opening stretch of the season? That makes more sense.
The shorter Mays timeline actually helps Bates’ case. Detroit may not need a high-end replacement. It may need a competent stopgap.
2025 PFF numbers: 0 offensive snaps, no qualifying PFF grade, 0 sacks allowed, 0 pressures allowed.
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Glasgow Makes Even More Sense With the New Timeline
The updated Mays timeline changes this discussion quite a bit.
If Detroit believed it would be without Mays until January, Holmes might have needed to pursue the best available center regardless of cost or fit.
An 8-to-10-week absence is different.
Now the Lions can think in terms of a bridge.
That makes Glasgow especially appealing.
He already has chemistry with Goff. He already understands the protection system. He already knows what Campbell expects from the offense.
There would be very little time wasted getting him acclimated.
Detroit moved on because it believed Mays could upgrade the position. Reuniting with Glasgow for a few months would not reverse that decision.
It would simply give the Lions a veteran safety net until Mays is ready to take over again.
Bottom Line
Brad Holmes still has work to do, but the Cade Mays injury no longer looks like a season-long crisis.
With Mays expected to miss 8 to 10 weeks, Detroit may only need a temporary answer at center before getting its preferred starter back sometime before the midpoint of the regular season.
Graham Glasgow remains the cleanest fit, James Daniels offers upside if healthy, and Ryan Bates could provide inexpensive depth.
The shorter recovery timeline makes one thing clear: Detroit does not need to find the perfect center.
It needs to find the right bridge.
Continue reading...
