Dan Campbell Shares Honest Assessment of Cade Mays After Lions Debut at Center
The Detroit Lions made a change at the center position in Week 7, and head coach Dan Campbell liked what he saw, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Cade Mays, who signed a three-year, $25 million contract with Detroit this offseason after spending four seasons with the Carolina Panthers, made his Lions debut as the starting center in Sunday’s 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers.
It was a challenging spot. Mays was not only jumping into the lineup mid-season, but he was also playing for a new team with limited practice reps. He ended up playing all 68 offensive snaps.
The performance was mixed. According to PFF, Mays received a 52 grade and had a bad snap and a penalty. After the game, he took responsibility, saying, “Obviously, ups and downs. I want to be more consistent, but to come out with a win is huge.”
Campbell, however, was encouraged.
“Now, you know, that was a good game for Cade to get in there, man, and get his feet wet again,” Campbell said Monday. “He’s only going to get better and better. He played a full game. I mean, it was 68 reps or whatever that was after, you know, he’s practiced a little bit, but that’s a lot. So physically and mentally. He’s going to continue to get better, and the rest of those guys now can play together.”
Campbell noted that some of the issues came from combination blocks going too far inside and from youth and rust that will be cleaned up with more reps together.
Despite some fans calling for Juice Scruggs, who had been impressive in the previous five games, to return to the lineup, the Lions are riding with Mays.
As former Tennessee Vol who bounced around practice squads early in his career, Mays has said he loves the brand of football Detroit plays under Campbell. Now he gets to prove it as the anchor.
