cade mays is slated to hit free agency this week, a sudden offseason twist for a lineman who was on multiple practice squads as recently as 2024. As of Mar 9, 2026 (ET), the Carolina Panthers are balancing that looming decision with a new emergency at left tackle after Ikem Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in their wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The result is a fast-moving offensive line picture in Carolina, with the team needing stability while the market begins to form around a player now being discussed as a potential value signing.
What’s happening now with Cade Mays
The immediate headline in Carolina’s interior line is contract timing: cade mays is expected to enter the open market this week after a season in which he started extensively for the Panthers. Mays, a sixth-round selection by the Panthers in the 2022 NFL Draft, had an uneven early pro start and started seven games over his first two NFL seasons. He was released by Carolina ahead of the 2024 season, briefly signed to the New York Giants’ practice squad, and later returned to Carolina in the middle of the 2024 season.
From there, his role expanded. Mays ended up starting eight games for the Panthers in 2024, and in the most recent season he started 12 games at center for Carolina. Entering this week’s free agency window, the expectation presented by analysts is that he could be positioned for a significant raise relative to his recent roster journey.
Market signals: “Sleeper free agent” talk and the contract range
NFL executives recently labeled Mays a “sleeper free agent, ” and two analysts put a specific range on the type of deal some teams anticipate. ’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano suggested that Mays could be in line for a deal paying $8 million annually, noting that the center market is thin.
“Some teams anticipate he could make $8 million per year on a new deal, ” Fowler and Graziano wrote. In that scenario, an $8 million average would place him among the league’s top 10 paid centers. The commentary also left open the possibility of higher annual money if a bidding war develops, with a figure around $10 million annually floated as a potential outcome if competition escalates—framed as conditional rather than guaranteed.
Panthers’ broader offensive line stress after Ekwonu injury
While the center market develops, Carolina’s tackle situation has turned urgent. The Panthers’ plans were disrupted when left tackle Ikem Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The injury could keep Ekwonu out for most, if not all, of the next campaign, shifting the team from planning a lucrative extension to scrambling for coverage at the position.
General manager Dan Morgan is identified as needing to act decisively, with one proposed approach emphasizing flexibility: using a high-end draft pick and bringing back veteran free agent Yosh Nijman. Joe Person of The Athletic described Nijman as a powerful run blocker who is not as consistent in pass protection, and outlined the concept of pairing him with a highly drafted tackle to address short- and long-term needs.
What’s next this week in free agency
For Carolina, the next steps revolve around sequencing: decisions at tackle and center are now tied to timing, budget, and availability as free agency opens. With cade mays entering the market this week and with the team facing uncertainty at left tackle during Ekwonu’s recovery window, the Panthers’ offensive line plan will come into clearer view as contract talks progress and roster moves are made in the days ahead.
