Lions activate Cade Mays and Brian Branch to play Sunday against Packers

Mays returns from a camp wrist fracture; Branch from PUP.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 2h2 min read

And more help in Detroit: Lions also activated C Cade Mays, who is returning from a broken wrist he suffered in training Via @AdamSchefter on X

What happened: Detroit activated center Cade Mays from injured reserve and Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday, per Adam Schefter. Both players practiced this week after being slated to rejoin Lions practice earlier this month and were removed from the game status report. Branch is set to make his 2026 season debut after tearing his Achilles on Dec. 4.

Why it matters: The activations restore key starters at center and in the secondary ahead of an NFC North matchup between the seventh-seeded Lions and sixth-seeded Packers. Mays reinforces the interior offensive line after missing the opening stretch of the regular season, while Branch returns to anchor Detroit's defensive backfield.

By the numbers: Detroit enters Sunday at 3-2 on a one-game winning streak after a 45-21 victory on Oct. 11, while Green Bay sits at 4-2 on a three-game winning streak following a 23-13 win on Oct. 18. Drafted 45th overall in 2023, Branch recorded 75 tackles and 2.5 sacks across 12 games for the Lions in 2025, per ESPN (as of Sept. 29, 2026).

What to watch: Mays and Branch are both set to take the field Sunday when Detroit faces Green Bay.

Sources

@AdamSchefter 2026-10-24T20:12:53.745995+00:00

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NFLInjuryDetroit LionsGreen Bay PackersCade MaysBrian Branch

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