The biggest free agency acquisition for the Detroit Lions thus far is former Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound center was originally drafted by the Panthers in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Mays’ career blossomed over the past two seasons when he moved to center full-time. Per Pro Football Focus, Mays allowed just 17 hurries and zero sacks in 803 pass blocking snaps over the last two seasons with Carolina.
When Mays signed, his deal was reported as a three-year, $25 million with $14 million guaranteed. Now, full information on Mays’ deal and the cap hits have been revealed.
Here’s a look at Mays’ Lions contract, per Spotrac:
Cade Mays’ Lions contract
- 2026: $1.215 million base; $1.296 million signing; $210,000 active/gm roster bonus; $50,000 workout bonus; $2,771,000 cap hit
- 2027: $7.695 million base; $1.296 million signing; $255,000 active/gm roster bonus; $50,000 workout bonus; $9.296 million cap hit
- 2028: $1.305 million base; $1.296 million signing; $255,000 active/gm roster bonus; $50,000 workout bonus; $4.384 million cap hit
Mays also carries cap hits of $2.774 million in 2029 and 2030 and cap hits of $1.478 million in 2031 and 2032.
Across four seasons, Mays played in 52 games with the Panthers and started 27, including 12 starts in 2025. A Tennessee alum, Mays didn’t give up a sack over 726 snaps last season and had a 94.3% run block win rate which ranked among the top 20 centers in the league.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions OL Cade Mays contract details, cap hits released