Lists of cut candidates prove how great a position the Detroit Lions are in

The Detroit Lions are in a pretty good salary cap position, and all the lists of cut candidates that are out there further prove it.

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One of the perks the Detroit Lions have had as they built to their success is cost-controlled talent via savvy drafting. Of course those second contract pipers are starting to and will continue to be paid, with some tough decisions to be made as the salary cap gets navigated.

The Lions have the eighth-most effective 2025 cap space in the NFL ($43.9 million, according to Over The Cap) right now. So there's not a lot of pressure to clear space via bold cuts or extensive contract restructures. They also aren't carrying a lot of dead money, and that came from cutting cornerback Cameron Sutton after his off-the-field situation last March.

As we move into the offseason, the lists of potential cut candidates for teams are free-flowing. For the Lions, as John Whiticar of Pride of Detroit did, it's appropriate to list cut candidates according to the likelihood they are cut, which also proves how good a position they are in.

Lists of cut candidates prove how great a position the Lions are in

When looking sheerly at cap space the Lions can clear for this year by cutting someone, only a couple players really stand out.

Note: All cap savings and dead money values come via Over The Cap.

When the Lions signed defensive tackle DJ Reader last offseason, he was coming off a torn quad. So the second year of the two-year deal mitigated the risk by creating a viable out, and indeed that's the case. The Lions can clear nearly $8 million in cap space by making Reader a pre-June 1 cut, with $4.972 million in dead money. A post-June 1 cut designation would clear $11.69 million in cap space.

It's also fair to say cutting Reader is not really on the Lions' radar this offseason.

We took a look at Za'Darius Smith's contract dynamics recently. Bonuses he's due dramatically increase the cash layout for him this year, and the Lions can clear $5.7 million in cap space with no dead money by cutting him. If that happens, bringing him back on a different deal feels likely. Other than that, the overall structure of his contract (multiple void years) feels ripe for a restructure to make his return more palatable.

The role/value/cap hit equation comes into play prominently for wide receiver Kalif Raymond and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin.

Raymond is one of the best punt returners in the NFL, and he led the league in punt return yards this year despite missing five games with a foot injury. But his role in the Lions' offense has also been greatly diminished over the last two seasons (17 receptions this season), which makes a 2025 cap hit that approaches $6.4 million stand out.

Still, with the dead money almost equaling the cap savings from a pre-June 1 cut as another layer, it's highly unlikely Raymond gets cut.

Reeves-Maybin has brought great value to the Lions as a core special teamer. But he missed a lot of time this season with a neck injury, and a combination of factors (the Lions only punting 46 times, the league's new kickoff format) led to him registering zero special teams tackles. He was quite good when called upon to play defensive snaps before, but that was not the case this year.

Reeves-Maybin's $4.6 million cap hit for his year looks big for a 30-year old backup linebacker (he turns 30 on Jan. 31) who is lined up to be bumped down the depth chart. The cap savings and dead money implications for cutting him (pre-June 1) tilt toward dead money ($2.75 million)

When a backup linebacker seems to stand out as a team's most obvious cut based on projected role next season, they are in great shape. That's where the Lions are right now, barring not being able to work out Smith's return or making a bold decision to cut Reader or Raymond.

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