3 players the Detroit Lions will not miss one bit in 2024

1. CB Cameron Sutton

Going into the offseason, the structure of Sutton's three-year contract said the Lions were pretty much stuck with him for 2024. Unless they were willing to eat a noticeable dead money hit to release or trade him (as if he had any value on the latter front), he would get a chance to rebound after a rough first season in Detroit.

Alas, through a very adverse circumstance for the people involved which should not be taken lightly, the Lions got a break.

An arrest warrant for Sutton was publicized in March related to a domestic battery charge, after authorities in Florida had not been able to reach him or find him for nearly two weeks. The Lions immediately released him, and team president Rod Wood later revealed Sutton was at the team facility in Allen Park when the news of the warrant came.

Given what led to his release, all indications are the Lions voided (pending official league approval) all $10.5 million in guaranteed salary Sutton was due this year and added that as salary cap space when his post-June 1 cut hit the books. They'll be left with some dead money from signing bonus proration the next two years, but that's a small price to pay from that standpoint. They also don't have to hope Sutton plays way better this year due to being stuck keeping him.

Sutton's dismal performance last year was enough to at least push him down the depth chart, with the seeming inevitability he stuck around with the Lions this year. Then his allegedly being a bad guy pushed him all the way off the roster.

Sutton recently signed with the Steelers, where he spent his first six NFL seasons. So he's Mike Tomlin's problem now.

For performance reasons, and more recently revealed (alleged) character reasons, the Lions will not miss Sutton one bit this year.