Larry Borom vs. Cade Mays: What Detroit’s line additions reveal
On the opening day of free agency, the Detroit Lions added two offensive linemen: Cade Mays, signed from the Panthers to start at center, and veteran OL larry borom. Placing the two moves side by side answers a sharper question than either signing does alone: are the Lions rebuilding around a new core, or trying to keep options open while an overhaul plays out?
Cade Mays and the Lions’ new center plan
The Lions’ first clear statement came with Cade Mays. Detroit signed Mays from the Panthers with the expectation that he will start at center, a direct response to an offensive line that “already looks substantially different than it did a year ago. ” With Taylor Decker out and former starting guard/center Graham Glasgow also out, a starting center signing functions as a stabilizer: one defined job, one defined role, and an immediate plug into the middle of the line.
That clarity matters because the broader picture around Detroit’s front has been described as an overhaul. A single, projected starting center does not answer every question about tackle and guard, but it reduces the number of moving parts. In a week where Detroit is also weighing multiple tackle outcomes, including the possibility of shifting All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to left tackle, a center signing that comes with “start at center” attached reads as the most settled piece of the day.
Larry Borom and Detroit’s swing tackle calculus
Unlike the Mays move, the signing of larry borom is built around flexibility. He has experience at both tackle and guard, and he can fill in at either spot for a Lions line in transition. Borom entered the league as a fifth-round pick by the Bears out of Missouri in 2021, and he spent last season with the Dolphins, where he mostly played tackle.
For Detroit, larry borom has been framed as a likely swing tackle option, with a second, more consequential possibility attached: he is also a potential candidate to take over for Decker at left tackle. That dual framing matters, because it suggests the Lions are not treating the left tackle job as settled yet. Even within the same signing, the range of outcomes runs from depth insurance to a starting solution, which mirrors the uncertainty that comes with an “offensive line overhaul. ”
Borom’s presence also intersects with the Lions’ internal guard picture. Young guards Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany “should be set, ” but the context allows an exception: unless Borom takes one of their spots. That caveat is the point. The Lions did not just add a backup; they added a player with enough positional range to create competition across multiple positions, even if his most likely lane is swing tackle.
Detroit Lions additions in parallel: certainty versus optionality
Stacking the two additions together reveals a two-track approach. One track is about certainty (a starting center); the other is about optionality (a veteran who can cover tackle or guard, and possibly compete for the left tackle job). The same day produced both, which is a clearer signal than either signing provides by itself: Detroit is trying to lock down the middle while keeping multiple contingency plans alive at the edges.
| Category | Cade Mays | larry borom |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition framing | Signed from the Panthers to start at center | Veteran signing on free agency’s opening day |
| Primary role implied | Starting center | Likely swing tackle |
| Position flexibility noted | Center role emphasized | Experience at tackle and guard; can fill in at either |
| Connection to left tackle vacancy | Indirect, stabilizes interior amid tackle questions | Potential option to take over for Taylor Decker at left tackle |
| Downstream impact mentioned | Replaces an interior departure with a planned starter | Could affect guard spots for Tate Ratledge or Christian Mahogany |
Analysis: The divergence between the two signings points to the Lions’ “priority” being less about one position and more about restoring survivability across the line. A starting center acquisition addresses one defined vacancy after personnel losses, while the Borom move behaves like a hedge against multiple outcomes: Decker being out, the possibility of moving Sewell, and the question of whether young guards hold their projected roles.
The comparison also underlines why Detroit could still stay aggressive elsewhere. The context describes a strong draft for offensive linemen and notes Detroit picks at No. 17, with several prospects named as possibilities depending on whether the Lions seek a guard or an offensive tackle. That draft leverage becomes more valuable when a team has already added both a projected starter and a flexible veteran, because it can make a first-round choice less of a forced reaction and more of a selection based on who is available.
The finding from the Mays-versus-larry borom comparison is straightforward: Detroit paired one certainty move with one flexibility move, signaling an overhaul built on stabilizing the interior while keeping options open at tackle and even guard. The next confirmed checkpoint is the Lions’ pick at No. 17, where the context lays out multiple offensive line directions. If Detroit maintains its “priority” on offensive line help while also considering defense at that slot, the comparison suggests the Lions will treat the draft less as an emergency fix and more as a chance to choose the best remaining solution for left tackle or another premium need.
