3 cuts for the Detroit Lions to possibly clear more than $25 million in cap space

The Detroit Lions don’t have serious salary cap concerns, but these three cuts (with designation/timing in mind) could clear a lot of space.

With a run through free agency last offseason that was mostly one-year deals, the Detroit Lions aren’t in serious cap trouble for 2022. Contract adjustments/extensions for quarterback Jared Goff and defensive end Michael Brockers upon acquiring them weren’t necessarily a great idea though, particularly in Goff’s case.

As it sits right now, via Over The Cap, the Lions have $23.6 millon in cap space while Spotrac has them at $29.3 million. Either way, they’re in the top half of the league in cap space right now and that’s a fine place to be.

But there’s never such thing as too much cap space, and the Lions can make some cuts to clear significant room. With that in mind, cutting these three players could basically double their current cap space.

3 cuts for the Detroit Lions to potentially clear more than $25 million in cap space

3. RB Jamaal Williams

Williams is a fan and media favorite in Detroit, and he’s also a solid player who got one of few multi-year deals from the Lions last offseason. But on an Motor City “island’ where there are few misfit toys (bad contracts), here we are.

Williams has a reasonable $4.625 million cap hit for 2022, the final year of his contract. But it’s worth wondering if the Lions will consider giving Craig Reynolds a shot at a bigger role behind D’Andre Swift, with Godwin Igwebuike and 2021 draft pick Jermar Jefferson also on the depth chart. If there’s an opportunity in the middle rounds of the draft, maybe Detroit would take a running back.

Cutting Williams (before or after June 1) would chip off $3 million in cap space for the Lions, with $1.625 in dead money. The likelihood it happens is way on the “not happening” side of a coin-flip chance, but a potential depth chart churn leaves Williams a little bit vulnerable to being cut.