Coming out of the core part of free agency, the Detroit Lions have the seventh-most cap space in the NFL ($27.67 million, according to Over The Cap). They won't be spending all of that if they make any more signings, and some will be allocated to the incoming draft class.
The two current highest cap hits on the Lions' balance sheet for 2024 (Jared Goff, $32.3 million and Taylor Decker, $19.1 million) are lined up to be reduced by contract extensions this offseason. Future commitments on contract extensions for other key players are worth noting, but not meaningful to a conversation about just this year.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report took a run at naming the most overpaid player on each NFL team following the peak of 2024 free agency. The choice for the Lions, not that there's any good option, is interesting.
Bleacher Report writer really reaches to find most overpaid Lions' player
Gagnon chose newly acquired cornerback Carlton Davis as the most overpaid Lion.
"The good news for the Lions is most of the overpriced six-year veteran's money is coming from the Buccaneers, who are on the hook for a $14.1 million dead-cap charge for Davis. He'll make a walk-year salary within that range in 2024, despite being injury prone and unreliable in coverage these days.
Gagnon apparently missed the news that the Lions restructured Davis' contract for this year, the final year of his contract. That move dropped his base salary from $14 million to $8 million, converting the $6 million into a bonus, and dropped his 2024 cap hit to $4.5 million. The attachment of void years in the restructure creates a chunk of 2025 dead money ($9.82 million, via the updated contract), but that would be re-worked if the Lions want to give him an extension.
The fact the Buccaneers are taking on close to a $14.1 million dead money hit for trading him is inconsequential to the idea of Davis being the Lions' most overpaid player.
There's no doubt Davis has had trouble being available all the time, and his level of play fell off last year to the point a former Buccaneers' player (not one who played with Davis) thinks Tampa Bay's defense won't miss him.
There was a premise to be fulfilled, and there had to be someone. But it's a stretch to call Davis the most overpaid Lions' player, especially in light of the move to restructure his contract for 2024.