Lions sign running back Jahmyr Gibbs to rookie contract just ahead of training camp

Deadlines always drive action, and with rookie report day for NFL training camps coming this week any remaining draft picks need to get signed or they can't participate. The Detroit Lions had two unsigned picks at the conclusion of offseason work. On Monday afternoon, they announced first-round running back Jahmyr Gibbs has signed.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. But the deal has a slotted value, and Spotrac's projection offers a look at what Gibbs' deal as the No. 12 overall pick will look like.

Four years, $17,845,131; $9,978,277 signing bonus, $3,244,569 cap hit for 2023

Of course, as a first-round pick, Gibbs' contract has a fifth-year option. The exact value of that, for 2027, will be determined by what he accomplishes early in his career when the Lions have to make the decision to pick it up or not heading into his fourth year.

Detroit Lions training camp: No delay to Jahmyr Gibbs launching his rookie season

First-round pick holdouts these days are rooted in the guaranteed money structure and/or offset language if they're cut by the team that drafts them. But as Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports noted, Gibbs' agent, Todd France, has a history of gettting deals done for his first-round pick clients late and that's what happened here. So as long as he was signed by the time camp started, or more precisely/ideally the day he was supposed to report to Allen Park, an easy concern level for some fans was able to be tempered.

The Lions have plans to put Gibbs' versatility (over 1,200 yards from scrimmage in each of his last two college seasons) on display right away. Not that the initial days of training camp will be overly intense for the incoming rookies, but he can hit the ground running with no missed time due to even a small delay in signing his rookie contract.

The only remaining unsigned Lions draft is safety Brian Branch, but that should be expected to get done in the next 48 hours or less.