As the May 1 deadline loomed, the Detroit Lions had two big decisions to make regarding fifth-year contract options. Both were ostensibly no-brainers, with how running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebackerJack Campbell have both become among the best at their positions.
Picking up Gibbs' $14.2 million fifth-year option, in light of a pending extension that will likely be north of $20 million per year, was easy. But Campbell's fifth year option, since off-ball linebackers are lumped in with pass rushing outside linebackers as one generic position group, landed at $21.925 million based on the Pro Bowl selection he earned last season.
The highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league right now is Fred Warner, with an average of $21 million per year. So the Lions, based on the league's outdated rule about position designations, and a lack of differentiation that is clear-cut on the field, were pretty much forced not to pick up Campbell's fifth-year option.
That said, if the Lions intend to make Campbell the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL, that fifth-year option lands right in the wheelhouse for long-term contract talks.
By all accounts, the Lions fully intend to sign Campbell to a lucrative contract extension this offseason. But the placeholder that fifth-year option would've been is gone. Not having it complicates things, and adds urgency, as Campbell moves toward the final year of his current contract.
Former NFL agent puts doomsday Jack Campbell scenario on the table for the Lions
In a deep look at Campbell's situation for CBS Sports, former NFL agent Joel Corry noted how the Lions' linebacker's situation compares closely to that of former Baltimore Ravens and current Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum.
"Linderbaum had his option year declined last offseason because the value exceeded his positional market despite being selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year in 2024."
"Since there aren't specific option-year salaries for center, guard and tackle, the amount is the same regardless of position. A fifth year in 2026 was going to be $23.402 million when Creed Humphrey set the center market with the $18 million per year contract extension he received from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024. The discrepancy between these two figures was 30.01%."
"Linderbaum broke the bank when he hit the open market. It was assumed Linderbaum would become the NFL's highest-paid center in free agency. Nobody expected him to get a three-year, $81 million contract averaging $27 million per year from the Las Vegas Raiders, resetting the center market by a whopping 50%."
Corry then landed on what could be the literal bottom lines for Campbell and the Lions respectively.
"Campbell has surely taken note of what happened with Linderbaum. All-Pro-caliber players in their prime, like Campbell and Linderbaum, rarely become unrestricted free agents. This could lead Campbell to test the open market unless the Lions are willing to make him the league's highest-paid off-ball linebacker by a significant margin".
"The refusal to exercise Campbell's fifth-year option for 4.41% more than the top of market suggests an unwillingness to do such a thing. Since the Lions didn't want to pay Campbell a fully guaranteed $21.925 million in 2027, there probably isn't much enthusiasm for giving him a long-term deal averaging the same or more. The Lions can't afford to take a hard-line negotiating stance with Campbell, though, after Alex Anzalone's departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency."
READ MORE: 3 reasons to love the Lions' primetime draw of Bills
By dragging Anzalone around like they did heading into his contract year, leaving aside the poor choice to pay Derrick Barnes instead of him, the Lions revealed their plans to build their linebacking corps around Campbell going forward.
Now they are facing the real prospect Campbell won't settle for a multi-year deal that doesn't make him the highest-paid off the ball linebacker in the league. There's a strong argument he shouldn't settle for a deal that doesn't do so.
Not picking up the fifth-year option, which as Corry noted is less than 4.5 percent above the current top of the market, seems to show the Lions don't want to go all the way to making Campbell the highest-paid off-ball linebacker.
It still seems very unlikely Campbell will hit the open market next March. But the non-zero chance that has existed since May 1will only increase the longer a deal to keep him in Detroit long-term goes undone.
Add us as a preferred source on Google