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Lions contracts explained

Every figure is from cited public reporting, checked 2026-11-12.

Flagship contract · EDGE

Aidan Hutchinson: The most backloaded deal in the division

5.3xExtremely backloaded
2026 cap hit$10.1MPeak (2029)$54M
What's a backload score?

The biggest cap hit left on the deal divided by this season's cap hit, from one reported schedule. 1.0x is flat; 3x means the bill triples later. Restructures and void years push it up.

4-year, $180M extension (Oct 2025). Option bonuses in 2026, 2027 and 2028 spread guarantees into later years.

Cap hits as broken down by Pride of Detroit (Nov 2025, from ProFootballTalk's figures), counting each option bonus as exercised.

5.3x: his peak cap hit (2029, $54M) is 5.3 times his 2026 cap hit ($10.1M).

The GM view: A bargain now, and a monster bill in 2029-30. Detroit is betting on another extension before then.

Sources: Pride of Detroit (Jeremy Reisman), Nov 4, 2025, using ProFootballTalk's breakdown

All 10 tracked deals

  1. Aidan HutchinsonEDGE · The most backloaded deal in the division5.3x$10.1M in 2026
  2. Jack CampbellLB · Option bonuses push the bill to 2029 and beyond5.0x$4.79M in 2026

    4-year, $81M extension (May 2026) through 2030, with $51.5M guaranteed. $8.61M signing bonus, a guaranteed $11.89M option bonus in 2027, more option bonuses in 2028-30, and four void years (2031-34).

    Cap hits as broken down by Pride of Detroit (Jeremy Reisman, May 27, 2026), from Dave Birkett's reporting and Over The Cap, counting each option bonus as exercised. When the deal voids in 2031, $25.24M of option money hits that year's cap.

    5.0x: his peak cap hit (2029, $24.1M) is 5.0 times his 2026 cap hit ($4.79M).

    • The Lions placed him on injured reserve on Nov 7, 2026, with a neck injury from the Nov 1 game against Minnesota (AP News).
    • Pride of Detroit found no clean out: cutting him in any year costs more in dead cap than his cap hit that year.
    • The $15.15M salary in 2029 is set up for a restructure or another extension.

    The GM view: An All-Pro at about $5M a year now, and a 2029 bill Detroit plans to push back again.

    Sources: NFL.com (Kevin Patra), citing Ian Rapoport, May 2026 · Pride of Detroit (Jeremy Reisman), May 27, 2026, from Dave Birkett (Detroit Free Press) and Over The Cap · AP News, Lions place Jack Campbell on IR, Nov 7, 2026

  3. Jahmyr GibbsRB · Record running back money, with the big hits in 2029-303.2x$8.68M in 2026

    3-year, $67.5M extension (Aug 2026), worth up to $75.75M with escalators, with $51.5M in total guarantees. $37.7M is guaranteed at signing: a $15M signing bonus, his 2026 and 2027 salaries, and $8.25M of his 2028 salary. More 2028 and 2029 salary becomes guaranteed each March from 2027 to 2029.

    Cap hits from Lions Wire (Josh Helmer, Aug 8, 2026), citing Spotrac. A 2031 void year carries $2.0M. Last Word on Sports (Sept 10, 2026) lists his 2026 hit as $5.68M, which looks like the pre-extension figure.

    3.2x: his peak cap hit (2029, $27.5M) is 3.2 times his 2026 cap hit ($8.68M).

    • His 2027 cap hit drops about $8M from the $14.29M fifth-year option, per Pride of Detroit.
    • Rolling guarantees make a 2029 cut cost about $20M of dead money.

    The GM view: Cheap for two more years, then $27.5M a season for a running back.

    Sources: Lions Wire (Josh Helmer), citing Spotrac, Aug 8, 2026 · Pride of Detroit (Jeremy Reisman), Aug 9, 2026 · NFL.com (Bobby Kownack), citing Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter, Aug 2026

  4. Kerby JosephS · Option bonuses every year, and $39M waiting in 20303.1x$5.80M in 2026

    4-year, $85M extension (April 2025), which works out to a $21.25M new-money average. $22.5M fully guaranteed at signing, a $10.01M signing bonus, and option bonuses every year from 2026 to 2029. Four void years start in 2030.

    Cap hits as broken down by Pride of Detroit (Jeremy Reisman, April 30, 2025), from Over The Cap, counting each option bonus as exercised. Unless he's extended, about $39M of dead cap lands in 2030 when the deal voids. Last Word on Sports lists his current 2026 hit as $5.47M.

    3.1x: his peak cap hit (2029, $17.9M) is 3.1 times his 2026 cap hit ($5.80M).

    • Pride of Detroit ranked his 2029 hit of about $17.9M first among safeties, though he was the only safety under contract that far out.
    • Pro Football Rumors listed him among Detroit's availability concerns in September 2026.

    The GM view: Cheap now, with almost all of the money waiting in 2030.

    Sources: ProFootballTalk (Mike Florio), 'Inside the Kerby Joseph deal', April 25, 2025 · Pride of Detroit (Jeremy Reisman), April 30, 2025 · Last Word on Sports (David Keech), Lions 2026 cap hits, Sept 10, 2026

  5. Penei SewellRT · Same trick, same result2.9x$13.1M in 2026

    Extension signed in 2024. In Sept 2026, $18.6M of 2026 salary became signing bonus.

    Cap hits after the Sept 2026 restructure. A $3.72M void-year charge follows in 2030.

    2.9x: his peak cap hit (2028, $37.7M) is 2.9 times his 2026 cap hit ($13.1M).

    • The restructure saved about $14.9M in 2026 and added $3.72M to each later year.

    The GM view: The space was moved, not created. 2027-28 are the expensive years.

    Sources: Pride of Detroit, citing Jason Fitzgerald (Over The Cap), Sept 12, 2026

  6. Amon-Ra St. BrownWR · Pushed $26M into later years2.8x$12.3M in 2026

    4-year, $120.01M extension (April 2024), $16.5M signing bonus. In Sept 2026, $26M of his 2026 salary became signing bonus.

    Cap hits after the Sept 2026 restructure. 2029 is a void year carrying $27.1M.

    2.8x: his peak cap hit (2027, $34.2M) is 2.8 times his 2026 cap hit ($12.3M).

    • 2026 dropped by $20.8M; 2027 and 2028 each rose $5.2M.
    • The void year leaves $27.1M on the 2029 books unless he is extended.

    The GM view: Cheap this year, expensive the next two. An extension is the likely fix.

    Sources: Pride of Detroit, citing Jason Fitzgerald (Over The Cap), Sept 12, 2026

  7. Jared GoffQB · Restructured, and 2027 gets heavy1.9x$37.6M in 2026

    4-year, $212M extension (2024) with a $73M signing bonus. In March 2026 Detroit converted $40M of salary into a signing bonus.

    Cap hits after the March 2026 restructure. A $16M void-year charge follows in 2029.

    1.9x: his peak cap hit (2028, $69.6M) is 1.9 times his 2026 cap hit ($37.6M).

    • The restructure cut his 2026 hit from $69.6M to $37.6M, creating $32M of room.
    • 2027 and 2028 are both above $60M.

    The GM view: The Lions bought 2026 flexibility with future cap. 2027 is when this gets tight.

    Sources: Lions On SI, citing Spotrac's reported restructure, March 11, 2026

  8. Alim McNeillDT · Third-biggest cap hit, and Detroit didn't touch it1.0x$29M in 2026

    4-year, $97M extension (Oct 2024) through 2028, with $55M guaranteed ($28.06M at signing). It includes a $14.83M 2025 option bonus and a 2029 void year.

    Year-by-year cap hits as reported by FanSided's Sideline Report (Brad Berreman, Oct 20, 2024), citing Over The Cap and Spotrac. Last Word on Sports (Sept 10, 2026) still shows $28.966M for 2026, so the structure is unchanged. The $2.966M 2029 void-year charge is left out.

    1.0x: his peak cap hit (2028, $29.2M) is 1.0 times his 2026 cap hit ($29M).

    • Dead money falls from $6M (2026) to $4M (2027) to $2M (2028), so the realistic exit gets cheaper each year.
    • Lions Wire estimated a restructure could cut his 2026 hit to about $11.9M. Detroit restructured St. Brown and Sewell instead.

    The GM view: He's still on his original structure, which makes him the obvious next restructure if Detroit needs room.

    Sources: NFL.com (Grant Gordon), citing Rapoport, Garafolo and Pelissero, Oct 2024 · Sideline Report (Brad Berreman), citing Over The Cap and Spotrac, Oct 20, 2024 · Lions Wire (Josh Helmer), Feb 2, 2026 · Last Word on Sports (David Keech), Lions 2026 cap hits, Sept 10, 2026

  9. Jameson WilliamsWR · Five void years hide a $40M billNo score2026 not reported

    3-year, $80M extension (Sept 2025), worth up to $83M, that starts in 2027. $66M guaranteed, $30.6M of it at signing. Option bonuses replace most of his salary, and five void years follow the deal.

    Cap hits for the extension years as reported by Lions On SI (Christian Booher, Sept 25, 2025), citing Over The Cap. The same breakdown lists $40.02M in 2030, the first void year. That source has no 2026 figure, so there is no score.

    No backload score: His extension starts in 2027, and the schedule we cite has no 2026 figure.

    • Last Word on Sports lists his 2026 cap hit as $8.27M (Sept 10, 2026).
    • Per-game active bonuses of $1.7M a year protect Detroit if he misses games.

    The GM view: Team-friendly through 2029, but someone pays that 2030 bill unless he's extended again.

    Sources: Lions On SI (Christian Booher), citing Over The Cap, Sept 25, 2025 · NFL.com, Williams extension, Sept 2025 · Last Word on Sports (David Keech), Lions 2026 cap hits, Sept 10, 2026

  10. Andre Cisco BS · A sixth-round pick for a one-year safetyNo score2026 not reported

    Acquired from the Jets on Nov 9, 2026, for a 2028 sixth-round pick. He re-signed with New York in March 2026 on a one-year, $2.5 million contract, and that deal has one season left.

    No backload score: One-year deal, and no cited year-by-year Lions cap hits, so there is no score.

    • The Jets' official announcement confirms the 2028 sixth-round pick. Pro Football Rumors, citing Adam Schefter, reported the same trade and the $2.5 million one-year contract.

    The GM view: Cheap, short-term help in the secondary. There is nothing later to score.

    Sources: New York Jets official, Nov 9, 2026 · Pro Football Rumors (Connor Byrne), citing Adam Schefter, Nov 9, 2026

Bars show each reported cap hit by year on one shared scale; the dark bar is 2026. Tap a deal for the full breakdown.

More contracts

  1. D.J. ReedCB$17.9M2 years leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 10, 2026
  2. Derrick BarnesLB$9.76M2 years leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 10, 2026
  3. Sam LaPortaTE$6.74M1 year leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 10, 2026
  4. Brian BranchS$6.48M1 year leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 10, 2026
  5. Larry BoromOT$5M1 year leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  6. Brock WrightTE$4.73M1 year leftLast Word on Sports, David Keech, Sep 10, 2026
  7. Blake MillerOT$3.98M4 years leftLions Wire, Scout Springgate, May 12, 2026
  8. Tyleik WilliamsDT$3.75M3 years leftLions On SI, Christian Booher, Mar 25, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  9. Rock Ya-SinCB$3.20M1 year leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  10. D.J. WonnumEDGE$2.96M1 year leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  11. Cade MaysC$2.77M3 years leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  12. Derrick MooreEDGE$2.08M4 years leftLions Wire, Scout Springgate, May 12, 2026
  13. Christian IzienS$1.96M1 year leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  14. Isiah PachecoRB$1.81M1 year leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  15. Juice ScruggsC$1.58M1 year leftLions Wire, Josh Helmer, Mar 24, 2026 (via Over The Cap)
  16. Jack FoxP—1 year leftDetroit Lions (team release): Fox extension through 2026

The next deals by 2026 cap hit that don't have a full card yet. A dash means that figure has not been reported in a source we can cite. Each row links the reporting we used.

Cap terms in plain English

What is a cap hit?

The part of a contract that counts against the salary cap in one season: salary, plus the signing bonus spread evenly over the deal (up to five years), plus other bonuses. It is not the same as the cash paid that year.

What does "guaranteed" mean?

Money the player gets even if he is cut. "Fully guaranteed at signing" is the strongest kind. Other guarantees lock in on set dates, which is why reported totals for the same deal often differ.

What are void years?

Placeholder years added to the end of a deal so a bonus can be spread over more seasons, which lowers today's cap hit. The deal voids before those years are played, and any bonus not yet counted hits the cap at once as dead money.

What is dead money?

Cap charges for a player who is no longer on the team, usually signing bonus that had not been counted yet when he was cut or traded.

What is a restructure?

Turning salary into a signing bonus so it can be spread over later years. It frees cap room now and makes future cap hits bigger.

10 key contracts, each checked against the cited reporting on Nov 12, 2026. Cards without a year-by-year schedule in citable reporting show no score.

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Data note: every contract figure is hand-entered from the public reporting linked on its card (checked 2026-11-12). Figures are as reported on the date shown and change with restructures. Nothing is copied from cap-database tables.