Kalif Raymond has clearly found a home with the Detroit Lions, which surely made his moment last season against the New York Jets (one of the teams who cut him) especially sweet. He'll remain a Lion a little while longer now.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Lions have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension with Raymond. Additional terms have not been disclosed. Per Rapoport, the deal will make Raymond one of the highest-paid punt returners in the league.
Update, 4:10 p.m. ET: Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has reported the details of Raymond's two-year extension--$14 million, with $8.1 million guaranteed.
Kalif Raymond’s new 2-year deal with the Lions is worth $14 million with $8.1 million guaranteed. Nice payday for the All-Pro PR who’s always one of the last in the Lions building. Deal negotiated by @HadleyEngelhard of @EnterSportsMgmt https://t.co/8psPBtgpSy via @freep
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) August 11, 2023
The team has confirmed the deal.
Kalif 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/FPXztpiuwP
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 11, 2023
Raymond was an AP All-Pro Second Team honors for his work as a punt returner last year, as he averaged 13.2 years per punt return (second in the league). But his work as part of the Lions' offense should not overlooked, with catch totals of 48 and 47 in the last two seasons and over 600 yards last year (616). This summer, Pro Football Focus revealed him as one of the most underrated receivers in the league, and graded him as particularly proficient at one particular route.
Kalif Raymond is a sneaky important piece for the Lions
With Jameson Williams suspended the first six games this season, there's an opening for someone to step in as the Lions' No. 2 wide receiver. Marvin Jones and Josh Reynolds are probably the easy candidates for most people, but Raymond could easily be the guy. He has been working with the first-team as an outside receiver during camp, and by all accounts he has has a very strong camp.
Dan Campbell has consistently lauded what Raymond brings to the table. In the added light of Williams' suspension, the Lions' head coach took another opportunity to praise.
"He can play all of the positions,” Campbell said. “He can play the X, he can play the slot, he can play the Z. He is smart. He is tough. He is heads-y. He is a go-getter. He is resilient. He is a huge asset for us. Thank God we have him. So, he will be big for us while Jamo is out.”"Dan Campbell
Raymond signed a two-year deal with the Lions as a free agent last offseason. So he's now under contract for two more years after this one (through 2025), and his $4.05 million cap hit for this year stands to change with his new deal.