The Detroit Lions’ offseason is in full go right now and we’re rapidly approaching free agency at the beginning of March. Anytime between now and the 2025 NFL Draft, the Lions could start extending the contracts of some players.
We worked with cap expert Joshua Quiepo on working up projections for five different Lions players. Here is what we came up with for all of them:
Aidan Hutchinson
- APY Projection following 2023 season: $35 million
- APY Projection Current: $27.5 million
- Closest Comp (3 year sample): Brian Burns 2024, Carlos Dunlap 2021, Myles Garrett 2020
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $24.75 million
- Projected Years: 4
- Projected Total Value: $110 million – $82.5 million guaranteed – $60.5 fully gtd
The thing we came up with here is that the injury is going to matter to the Lions. It might not matter to the fans, but it’s going to matter to the people signing the check. That’s why it seems like the best move that Hutchinson can do right now would be the not sign an extension and opt for the fifth-year option instead. If he comes back and has a Defensive Player of the Year season in 2025, he’ll become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league in 2026.
We wrote more about this below:
Jameson Williams
- APY Projection Current: $19 million
- Closest Comp (3 year sample): DJ Chark Jr. 2023, Rashard Higgins 2021, Breshad Perriman 2021
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $4.25 million
- Closest Comp (platform year): Chris Godwin 2021, DJ Moore 2023, Will Fuller 2021
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $20.33 million
- Projected Years: 3
- Projected Total Value: $57 million – $36.5 million guaranteed – $26.5 fully gtd
There is no doubt that Williams had a good 2024 season that saw him hit 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, the thing is that it’s just really hard to see the Lions handing over all this money right now based on one good season and the suspensions and injuries.
It’s in both sides’ best interest if Williams takes the fifth-year option and then has a 2025 season where he balls out with no drama and then gets to make the most money he’s ever made after that.
We wrote more about this below:
Kerby Joseph
- APY Projection Current: $20.5 million
- Closest Comp (3 year sample): Tyrann Mathieu 2022, Kevin Byard 2024, Kevin Byard 2023
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $11.75 million
- Projected Years: 4
- Projected Total Value: $82 million – $46 million guaranteed – $40 fully gtd
This is the most likely extension the Lions do this off-season. Joseph is coming off an All-Pro season where he should’ve been nominated for the Defensive Player of the Year award and made the Pro Bowl too. He got snubbed for those things, but he won’t get snubbed from getting paid.
We wrote more about this below:
Alex Anzalone
- APY Projection Current: $9 million
- Closest Comp (3 year sample): Tremaine Edmunds 2023, Eric Kendricks 2024, Nigel Bradham 2020
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $9 million
- Projected Years: 1
- Projected Total Value: $9 million – $7.5 million guaranteed – $7.5 fully gtd
The thing about Anzalone is that he doesn’t have any more guarantees on his current contract and that could understandably make anyone nervous about possibly getting hurt. He’s a big part of this defense, so it makes sense.
We wrote more about this below:
Amik Robertson
- APY Projection Current: $5.5 million
- Closest Comp (3 year sample): Bradley Roby 2023, Kristian Fulton 2024, Tre Herndon 2023
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $2.65 million
- Closest Comp (platform year): Bradley Roby 2020, Rasul Douglas 2022, Daryl Worley 2020
- Average of those deals in today’s $: $9.33 million
- Projected Years: 2
- Projected Total Value: $11 million – $5 million guaranteed – $5 fully gtd
This one is maybe the least likely to happen. It’s all based on what happens with Carlton Davis.
We wrote all about that scenario below: