Currently, $26M. So if we want to do anything, we can do it. But we will need cap space for other moves later in the season. $2M to go from 51-53 players, $4M for rookies, $5.5M for practice squad, $13.5M for in-season moves, which will currently take us to zero.
We’ll sign some players, but nothing major.
Figured I’d just throw this in this thread.
As i sat here and thought about it all the last few weeks. I did that exercise.
2026 unchanged $5.68m
Option A - 5th year plus Tag.
2027 - $14.3m
2028 ~ $16.5m (give or take)
Both fully guaranteed and locked in those years.
However. A 3 year 68m contract with45.5m guaranteed. You could push that money around. Lower the cap hit for 2027 and 2028. Have dead money in 2029 by trading or cutting. Or keep him for a larger cap hit.
That also would make him a possible trade candidate after 2028. Rather than letting him walk in 2029 and getting a 3rd round comp.
Well find out by the end of the month when the tag option is due
2027 - $14,293,000
2028 - $17,151,600 - 120% of prior year salary ($14,293,000 * 120%).
Either way, we are picking up the fifth year option. Peneii agreed to his extension 6 days before the fifth year option deadline. The Lions picked up the fifth year option and filed the extension at the same time, before the due date.
This is kind of silly by both Jeremy and Justin and it comes from not really understanding how the cap works. The Lions don’t need every contract to be flexible with every contract. It doesn’t matter if an individual contract has large cap hits or if it has void year to spread out the cap hits . . . as long as you can manipulate the cap hits for the team as a whole. In 2027 we have a lot of team flexibility with Goff, ARSB, McNeill and Sewell.
