Ahead of free agency, the Detroit Lions have re-signed a few players: kicker Michael Badgley, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, tight end Shane Zylstra and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.
But those are all fairly minor moves. As of Tuesday afternoon, and pending the official terms of Moseley's reported one-year deal, the Lions have the seventh-most cap space in the league ($51.48 million, according to Over The Cap).
So the Lions don't really have to do anything to clear more cap room and do what they'd like to in free agency. But if a big move is on the radar, and that's a huge "if" even if it's easy to think they should do so, things could be done to make it happen. Having more money to spend is also never a bad thing.
Getting down to it, the Lions can clear a lot more cap space with some very simple moves. And we're not talking a bunch of outright cuts, with very few big cap numbers and maybe one rough contract that's still on the 2024 books. One such "obvious" cut, safety Tracy Walker, was made in February.
Updated and expanded from this similar list back in February, here are five moves the Lions can make to add nearly $47 million in cap space as free agency beckons.
5 moves the Detroit Lions can make to clear almost $47 million in cap space before free agency
Note: Unless otherwise noted, financial numbers and contract specifics are courtesy of Over The Cap.
Cut John Cominsky to free up $4.6 million
Cominsky one heck of a find for the Lions in 2022, going from a summer waiver claim they got do their high waiver priority to a key piece of the defensive line (four sacks, 12 quarterback hits and five tackles for loss). He was pretty much a lock to be re-signed last offseason, and he was brought back on a two-year deal to boot.
Cominsky played in 16 games and started 11 contests last season, while playing nearly the same number of snaps as he did in 2022 (569 vs. 556 in 2022). But he had just two sacks, then he was a surprising healthy scratch for the regular season finale even on the premise of giving him some rest before the playoffs. Over 97 postseason snaps (in all three games), he did not make an impact.
On a very short list of even vaguely potential cuts for the Lions, Cominsky unfortunately stands out. If additions are made along the defensive line, a $6.3 million cap hit will not befit his role.
Cutting Cominsky, before June 1 of course, would clear $4.6 million in cap space and leave behind a reasonable $1.7 million in dead money.
Cleared Cap Space Tally: $4.6 million
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4. Restructure Cameron Sutton and free up $6.96 million
A rough first season in Detroit immediately had plenty of Lions' fans clamoring for Sutton's departure, one year into the three-year deal he signed last offseason. But he's not going anywhere until at least next offseason because of how his contract was structured,
Sutton was on the injury report with a toe issue late in the regular season, so it's definitely worth wondering if he was operating at full strength during his particular struggles late. In any case he'll have a chance to rebound next season, and he'll ideally not be covering the opponent's best wide receiver.
The door is open to restructuring Sutton's contract. Not that he'd be under any threat of being cut or traded, since those moves (shy of a post-June 1 trade) would not benefit the Lions (and his trade value is next to nil right away anyway). But it's possible he'd be agreeable to a restructuring that drops his 2024 cap hit from $12.68 million.
Restructuring Sutton would clear $6,967,500 in cap space for the Lions. Let's just keep it simple and call it $6.96 million.
Cleared Cap Space Tally: $11.56 million
3. Extend Jared Goff to free up $20.8 million
No news on that front to this point has some Lions' fans getting nervous, but make no mistake a contract extension for Goff is coming sometime this offseason. It's going to come down to length, the new money, the per year average, etc. If we're still here in July with no deal done and no reports pointing toward it coming, then it'll be time to get genuinely concerned.
The two sides want to stay together, and are better with each other right now than without. And it's a rare quarterback who feels locked into his starting job that goes into the final year of his current contract without an extension.
Goff of course has the highest cap hit on the Lions' balance sheet for 2024 ($32.3 million). A contract extension to keep in Detroit for a few more years, with all the mechanics of it, would automatically drop that number-possibly a lot.
Spotrac's recent extension projection for Goff was four years, $180 million, with $86.5 million guaranteed at signing and $146.5 million practically guaranteed. The projected deal dropped Goff's 2024 cap hit to $15.5 million.
Going back to Over The Cap, an extension for Goff would clear $20,872,051 in cap space. The move would be higher on this pre-free agency list if it felt like it would be done before free agency starts. But it could be....
Cleared Cap Space Tally: $32.36 million
2. Restructure Frank Ragnow and free up $4.58 million
After the Lions' NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Ragnow invited a bit of speculation he could retire this offseason. Less than two weeks later, at NFL Honors in Las Vegas (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press), the three-time Pro Bowler and two-time Second Team All-Pro but any speculation about his immediate playing future firmly to bed.
"I’m not retiring,” Ragnow said. "I just need a few weeks to get healthy,” he said. “I guess my typical offseason routine is kind of get right back into it...... I just need some time to make sure I’m healthy and then we’ll get rolling again."
The litany of injuries Ragnow dealt with last season, which is something right out of a game of "Operation", would have anyone questioning if they want to keep playing after a tough loss one game shy of the Super Bowl.
Will Ragnow play deep into his 30s? Probably not, but it would be a surprise if he didn't at least play out his contract.
That's where the door to a contract restructured gets easily opened. Ragnow has three years left on his deal (through 2026), and there's no more fully guaranteed salary after 2024. So there's room to move some money around.
Restructuring Ragnow would clear $4,583,333 million in cap space. So let's call it $4.58 million.
Cap Space Tally: $36.94 million
1. Extend Taylor Decker and free up $9.9 million
Decker is entering the final year of his contract. As the offseason started he made it absolutely clear what he wants (via MLive).
"I definitely want to end my career here,” Decker said.....Of course you want money, but for me, I like being here. I love being here.....Whatever happens with the contract, I don’t know. There’s been nothing of substance (with negotiations) so far. But ultimately, do I want to be here forever? One-hundred percent. So, we’ll see.”
For Decker, the longest-tenured player on the team, to be a Lion for his entire career like he wants to be it's going to take two to tango. But it's safe to assume the feeling is mutual, and Decker should have a lot of good years left in his career as he enters his age-31 season. He's a core member of one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, not to mention tough to replace with anyone who's near his equal as a left tackle.
A contract extension for Decker is probably somewhere on the Lions' radar this offseason, it's just a matter of negotiating length, new money etc. in what should not be a contentious negotiation. Getting it done could clear $9.99 million in cap space for Detroit, and it's a very easy way to drop Decker's $19.1 million cap hit for this year.