The Detroit Lions are a completely different team these days. There was a time when they were one of the most financially troubled teams in the league. Now, they find themselves with a significant amount of money left after free agency and the draft, which is surprising to see.
According to Over The Cap, the Lions are projected to have $40.3 million in cap space, the third-most in the NFL. Only the Commanders and Patriots have more, and their margin isn’t much larger.
This figure assumes that the NFL has approved the Lions’ request to void cornerback Cameron Sutton’s contract after his release due to a warrant for domestic battery in March. There has been no official word on this yet.
Even without the Sutton money, the Lions still have just over $30 million in cap space. If they get the extra funds, they’ll be in an excellent financial position.
What will they do with that money? Here are four possible actions the Lions could take with their excess cap space:
1. Find a Wide Receiver: Lions GM Brad Holmes mentioned in an interview with 97.1 The Ticket that the team might add another receiver before or during training camp this summer. With this large excess of money, they could acquire a good one. They could facilitate a trade for a high-salary player or someone like Tee Higgins and then negotiate a new contract.
2. Sign Safety Depth: There are still several safeties on the market, like Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs, Tashaun Gipson, and Eddie Jackson. A reunion with Diggs could be possible. The Lions need to decide if they are comfortable with their current roster and if Brian Branch is indeed moving back to safety.
3. Save Some Money for In-Season Transactions: This is a common practice for teams. Keeping about $10 million free allows for signing practice squad players or making trades during the trade deadline. It’s good to have funds available for unforeseen needs during the season.
4. Roll It Over: The most likely option. While not exciting, saving the money is responsible. The Lions have extensions coming up for key players like Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeil. Rolling over the cap space gives the team a head start on next year’s free agency and shows prudent financial management.
