Detroit Lions 2026 training camp preview: How quickly will Cade Mays adapt to scheme?

In this installment of our Detroit Lions 2026 training camp preview series, we examine the Lions’ interior offensive line, speculate on current and future roles, and discuss how many players from this group could make the 53-man roster.

Previous training camp previews:

• Quarterback: Can Luke Altmyer force a QB3 role?
• Running back: How RB roles could shift in 2026
• Wide receiver: WR depth roles up for grabs
• Tight end: How many TEs will make the roster?
• Offensive tackle: Can Blake Miller win the starting RT job?

Roster construction

Under the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell regime, the Lions have consistently added offensive linemen as the season progresses. While they typically begin each season with eight to 10 offensive linemen, they’ve consistently finished with 10 or 11 on the active roster.

Let’s take a look at what they’ve done on the interior offensive line in the previous five seasons:

• 2021: Opened with five IOL (Frank Ragnow, Jonah Jackson, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Evan Brown, and Logan Stenberg) but finished with seven (Parker Ehinger, Ryan McCollum).
• 2022: Opened with six IOL (Ragnow, Jackson, Vaitai, Brown, Stenberg, and Tommy Kraemer), but finished with seven (Kayode Awosika and Ross Pierschbacher; Kraemer landed on IR).
• 2023: Opened with five IOL (Ragnow, Jackson, Graham Glasgow, Vaitai, and Colby Sorsdal) but finished with six (Awosika).
• 2024: Opened with five IOL (Ragnow, Kevin Zeitler, Glasgow, Awosika, and Michael Niese), but finished with six after rookie Christian Mahogany was removed from PUP.
• 2025: Opened with five IOL (Tate Ratledge, Mahogany, Glasgow, Awosika, and Kingsley Eguakun) but finished with six (rookie Miles Frazier was added after a PUP stint, Niese was re-added, and Eguakun was demoted to the practice squad, then poached by the Browns).

Investment at center

The Lions’ offensive line took a step back in 2025, with the majority of the blame falling on the play of the interior positions. Following the sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow, the Lions were forced to alter their approach: they moved Glasgow inside to center, which cleared the way for rookie Tate Ratledge to start at right guard and second-year guard Christian Mahogany to start on the left side. Unfortunately, they struggled from the jump. Their communication faltered; Glasgow looked his age, Ratledge looked like a rookie, and Mahogany failed to live up to the promise he showed in three games as a rookie, while also missing a portion of the season with a broken leg.

The Lions’ top priority this free agency period was to find a new starting center who could anchor the middle of the offensive line. They targeted Cade Mays for the role, and on the opening day of free agency, they signed him to a three-year contract.

Ratledge showed enough growth as a rookie that the Lions appear comfortable with his return to the starting right guard role; however, Mahogany will face competition for his starting left guard job. Both young guards started at their respective roles...