3 contracts holding the Detroit Lions back right now
According to Over The Cap, the Detroit Lions have the eighth-most cap space in the NFL right now ($44.84 million). They have added some noticeable dead money for 2024 based on contract void years that have now triggered, but there simply are not a lot of big cap numbers or any contracts that on the books that could called an "albatross."
That's a credit to the work general manager Brad Holmes and the front office have done. There's room to make some targeted outside additions this offseason, especially to a couple spots on the defensive side of the ball, as the next step to reach a Super Bowl should take on some priority.
There simply aren't a lot of options in terms of bad contracts to target, but here are three contracts that are holding the Lions back right now.
3 contracts that are holding the Detroit Lions back right now
3. OT Taylor Decker
Before any complaints, this one is a big stretch. However, Decker does have the second-highest cap hit on the team for 2024 right now ($19.1 million), in the final year of his contract.
An extension seems very likely for the Lions' left tackle this offseason, which would surely be structured to reduce that cap hit for this year; perhaps substantially. And for what it's worth, Decker has made it clear publicly he does not plan to go anywhere. It's safe to say the feeling is mutual about wanting him to be a Lion for his entire career.
The Lions don't need to make a major move to open up cap space this offseason. But if they are eyeing a particularly big move to acquire someone, as against Holmes' grain as it would be, getting an extension done with Decker to drop his 2024 cap hit would be a big step toward that.
So to some degree, any stall in extension talks with Decker could impact a significant subsequent move-if one is on the radar. That's a lot of "ifs" and such attached to this situation, which ultimately may not even connect. But this tangent just points to a lack of contracts that are a real detriment for the Lions right now.