Rollover plus Sutton i presume?
Sutton still has dead cap.
But yes rollover plus official number
So with that lions have about $38m in cap.
But factor in everything for the season, its more like $3m
The Lions only have 3m left?
Looks like some adjustments pushing us a little higher in cap than OTC has us at. 306.5 vs 303.
Was there an adjustment last year for firing him with cause? Or is that the reason we’re seeing a little larger cap right now?
No idea because we don’t have contract details on any of the FA deals, specifically on DJ Reeds structure & if Lopez is a full 4.65m. But the $53m people were throwing around was incredibly misleading as it doesn’t account for draft class, practice squad, the usually ~20m-ish that the Lions keep for in-season/rollover
NFL adjustment (this is late this year) for the Lions was a positive $3,543,262.
Anzalone had a $150K play time incentive that was treated as likely, that wasn’t earned (positive)
Fox had a $150K all pro with playoffs incentive that was Non Likely that was earned (negative).
DJ Reader had a $375K sack incentive that was non likely that was earned (negative).
Other things like injury settlements are in there. Might be something with Sutton.
Only if Reed’s contract is distributed evenly across the length of the deal, which it won’t be, and Lopez contract is fully worth $4.65 million, which it won’t be.
Plus, Brad can create a ton more space by restructuring guys.
Basically, he’s still free to sign a big ticket guy (or trade for one) if he wants to.
I wouldn’t say a TON more space. Really, the best option is Decker. No one else is really gonna move the needle on a restructure. A max Decker restructure can get us about $11m in relief this year with a relatively cheap bump for the remainder of his contract. I mean, there’s Goff, but it’d be much more prudent to restructure him next season when his base jumps from $18m to $55m (and I actually can’t imagine a scenario where he isn’t restructured next year). But $11m from Decker should be more than enough to accomplish anything else they want to do if need be.
But that $11 million in relief for this year can be spent on a $30m a year player with the usual small hit in year 1 and void years taking on some of the signing bonus.
This thread comes up every year, and there’s always more signings and more cap space than the contract numbers would have you think. Reader’s contract last year was 2 for 22 but his year 1 cap hit was $5.5 million.
Agree, Goff’s deal was designed to be restructured, probably several times.
Gotta be him. If that wasn’t “with cause” then I don’t know what is. Dude ended up with a significant suspension, too.
I think it was, the guaranteed money from Sutton was $10.5M, of that amount, we recognized 40% against the 2024 cap ($4.2M).
My guess is that we recouped the $4.2M and got nothing from the original signing bonus. I’d bet we are done with Sutton and we have to recognize $6.54M against the cap this year from the signing bonus we paid him in 2022. I was hoping we’d recoup some of the signing bonus money, but it doesn’t look like it.
12 mill operating cost for year is normal.
Your draft class is only gonna run you 4-5 mill. Because rostered contracts are maxed out one comes off every time you add a draft pick. Lions 3rd round pick will probably make less than a 5 year vet minimum would.
Lions have 20 mill left easy.
Nothing but a number on a piece of paper until you spend it. What the hell are we waiting for?
OTC has the cap space requirement for the draft class at $2.7 million. The class will cost $8.7 million but each rookie will knock a vet min guy out of the 53 or top 51.
Don’t forget Kirby & Aiden extensions…If both get near $20M & $40M, admittedly a little high but reasonable in Today’s Market, for 4 years, respectively, those contracts are going to be a problem, especially, with Branch, Jamo, LaPorta, next in line in 2026.
Regardless, if/when the NFL increases the CAP by $25M/yr approximately, and Decker/Ragnow/Anzalone/Reader begin to retire/cut over the next 2-3 years, Holmes is going to be in deep trouble paying everyone. Paying Jamo $30M is difficult to swallow.
I imagine Kirby will get a bump from $3M to $15M in 2025, and Aiden from $11M to $30M in 2025, to smooth out the CAP. Lions have the most $$$ available in 2025 at around $52M before Rookie salaries - $5-6M, Lopez - $1-5M etc, for ballpark purposes. 2026 at $27M to start is even worse…We’ll see. - GOALPOST
St Brown’s cap hit in 2024 after his extension was 4 and change and Sewell’s was 8 and change
I don’t think either of Kirby or Aidan’s cap hits in 2025 will spike in 2025. That’s the advantage of doing an extension with your own guys
I agree it will be WORSE for the Lions CAP-wise. I estimated Kirby would get near or top of the market for Safeties at $20M/yr…I used Kirby & Aiden’s 1st Year of their New respective extensions as the most Team Friendly 1st Year components of a prospective 4-Year deal.
Looks like I may have underestimated Kirby at $20M/yr if the latest (Mar 12 Free Press article is accurate). See Below:
“Joseph is expected to surpass Antoine Winfield as the NFL’s highest-paid safety on his next contract. Winfield signed a four-year, $84.1 million extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last spring coming off his first All-Pro season.”…You can bet Branch is following these negotiations closely !!..
At some point, someone we love and want to keep will ask for more money than we’re willing to give them. Is it Kerby? I don’t know. Doesn’t seem that way given I’ve heard we’re close, but someday soon it will happen.