Preseason football rarely revolves around the center. Most eyes follow the quarterbacks, rookies and players delivering the loudest hits.
For the Detroit Lions, the most important work Thursday night may happen before the ball leaves the ground.
Seth McLaughlin enters Detroit’s preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals with a sudden opportunity to become Jared Goff’s starting center. Cade Mays’ fractured wrist created the opening. Now McLaughlin gets his first chance to prove the Lions already have the answer on their roster.
This is no ordinary August audition.
Cade Mays’ Injury Changes Detroit’s Plans
The Lions signed Mays to stabilize the middle of an offensive line that has undergone considerable change. That plan lasted only until a training-camp collision left him with a wrist injury.
Coach Dan Campbell confirmed Mays will miss an extended stretch.
“He will be back in the season at some point,” Campbell said. “It will be down the road.”
NFL Network reported that Mays fractured a small bone and could miss eight to 10 weeks. That timetable would carry his absence well into the regular season. Read the complete NFL.com injury report.
Detroit cannot wait until October to solve center.
The Lions need someone capable of setting protections, handling line calls and keeping the operation clean for Goff. One poor exchange can destroy a drive. A missed identification can leave pressure coming directly through the quarterback’s sightline.
That is why Thursday night matters so much for McLaughlin.
Seth McLaughlin Has the Background
McLaughlin is not a typical unknown lineman hoping to survive roster cuts.
He appeared in 47 college games, including 35 starts at Alabama and Ohio State. He played in four College Football Playoff runs and was part of two national championship teams. In 2024, he won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center and earned first-team All-America honors.
The talent was never the main concern. Health changed his path.
McLaughlin tore his Achilles during his final season at Ohio State, an injury that contributed to him going undrafted in 2025. He spent his rookie year with Cincinnati before Detroit signed him to a reserve/future contract in January.
Now his first significant opportunity with the Lions comes against his former organization.
Funny how football works sometimes.
What the Lions Need to See in Cincinnati
McLaughlin does not need to flatten every defensive tackle who lines up across from him. The Lions need reliable evidence in four areas.
First, the snaps must be clean. McLaughlin’s snapping problems during his final season at Alabama became a national story, especially following the Crimson Tide’s playoff loss to Michigan. He rebuilt his reputation at Ohio State, but every center carries his history into an NFL audition.
Second, watch the protection calls. Can McLaughlin recognize pressure, communicate with the guards and put the line in position before the snap?
Third, he must hold his ground against power. At 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds, McLaughlin has enough size for the position. NFL defensive tackles will test whether he can anchor without giving up immediate depth in the pocket.
The fourth test is composure. One mistake cannot become three. Centers live in a world where their worst plays are easy to spot and their best work often passes unnoticed.
If Detroit fans barely hear McLaughlin’s name, that might be a good sign.
The Bengals Make This a Better Test
Cincinnati plans to play Joe Burrow and several other starters for a limited number of series. That gives Detroit’s reserve-heavy lineup an opportunity that preseason games do not always provide.
Campbell welcomes the challenge.
“I think [Zac Taylor’s] going to play those guys a couple of drives, their starters. So, it’ll be great look for our guys,” Campbell said. “How do they compete, do they use what they’ve been taught? Just you want to see the development; you’re excited for some of these young guys.”
Cincinnati’s starting defensive front should offer a more revealing examination than McLaughlin would receive against third-string players. Even a short appearance against proven competition can tell Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes whether the moment looks too big.
It also gives McLaughlin something rare in August: a preseason evaluation that should translate.
If he handles Cincinnati’s starting front, makes the proper calls and keeps the pocket firm, the Lions will have useful evidence that he can survive when the regular season begins.
Detroit Still Has Other Options
McLaughlin is not guaranteed the job.
Juice Scruggs is expected to enter the competition after recovering from a soft-tissue injury. Michael Niese provides another internal possibility, and Detroit could cross-train a guard at center. Brad Holmes also has time to examine veterans released during final roster cuts.
An external addition would bring its own problems. Centers must learn terminology, protection rules and the habits of the quarterback. Plugging in a new player days before the regular season is far more complicated than adding depth at running back or defensive line.
The cleanest outcome is for McLaughlin to seize the position.
That begins with sharp snaps, decisive calls and a quiet night in Cincinnati.
One Audition Could Reshape the Offensive Line
Detroit’s offensive identity still begins up front. The Lions want to protect Goff, create movement in the running game and play with the physical edge Campbell has demanded since arriving in 2021.
That identity becomes harder to maintain when the center position is unsettled.
The Lions also have a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing. Thursday will be his first game calling Detroit’s offense, creating another layer of communication between the sideline, quarterback and center.
Campbell explained that the preseason opener will help establish that working relationship.
“It’s more about [Petzing] and I,” Campbell said. “So he learns my communication with him, what I’m looking for, this is what I mean when I say this. I think more of those things. And then I get a feel of him a little bit.”
McLaughlin will be part of that operation. His ability to receive the call, organize the line and get the football into the quarterback’s hands without drama will matter more than any highlight.
That may not sound exciting. For an NFL center, boring can be beautiful.
McLaughlin Has Spent His Career Responding
McLaughlin has already experienced the unforgiving side of playing center.
His final game at Alabama became remembered for snapping problems against Michigan. He transferred to Ohio State and responded by becoming the best center in college football. Then came the torn Achilles, which ended his season and damaged his draft outlook.
He went undrafted, joined Cincinnati and eventually landed in Detroit.
Now another player’s injury has put McLaughlin one strong preseason performance away from becoming a serious candidate to start for a team with postseason expectations.
There is pressure in that. There is also opportunity.
Campbell has made clear what he wants to learn from players in the preseason.
“You’ve been coaching them on technique, fundamentals. How do they handle competition? How do they compete, do they use what they’ve been taught?” Campbell said. “You want to see the development, you’re excited for some of these young guys.”
Few players fit that evaluation better than McLaughlin.
Bottom Line
Seth McLaughlin enters the Lions’ preseason opener with far more at stake than a routine roster spot. Detroit needs a starting center, Mays may miss the opening weeks of the season, and McLaughlin possesses the experience and talent to become an unlikely solution.
The Lions will learn plenty about their rookies and reserves in Cincinnati. No evaluation carries more weight than the one taking place directly over the football.