This is a big offseason for the Detroit Lions. They can go out and have a solid free agency and solid draft and be right back in the driver’s seat for a shot at a third NFC North title and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Before that, there are questions about who the Lions will get signed to big extensions. Right now the popular names are Kerby Joseph, Aidan Hutchinson, and Jameson Williams. Only one of these guys should actually get a deal this offseason and it isn’t Hutchinson or Williams. It’s all about Kerby. Here’s why:
Both Hutchinson and Williams were first-round draft picks, so they’re eligible for fifth-year options. The Lions can push their deals back a year and handle them next year.
That and the Lions had a near season-long injury with Hutchinson and a suspension with Williams. The likelihood is that both players are probably going to want to wait until next year anyway. That way they can have a good season and maximize their profits. Right now the Lions would not be offering them top-dollar based on those factors.
As for Joseph, he’s coming off an All-Pro season that saw him get votes for Defensive Player of the Year as well. The Lions have a shot to do something similar to what they did with Penei Sewell, Jared Goff, and Amon-Ra St. Brown last offseason and that’s getting ahead of the market.
Joseph isn’t the only top safety to be up for an extension this offseason. Ravens All-Pro Kyle Hamilton is too. Many believe Hamilton is about to be the highest-paid safety in the league passing Antione Winfield Jr. If the Lions can get a deal done with Joseph ahead of Hamilton, they can ultimately get a sweet deal out of it.
Regarding the cost for Joseph’s extension, we worked with cap expert Joshua Queipo on what the cost would be there, and we came up with a four-year deal worth $82 million with $46 million of that being guaranteed. This would put Joseph at $20.5 million per year.
Queipo has Hamilton set at a four-year deal for $90 million with an APY of $22.5 million. As we said, Joseph’s deal would look pretty sweet if they could get it done first.
As for Hutchinson and Williams, they both will be pretty happy with their fifth-year option amounts in 2026. Hutchinson is slated to make a fully guaranteed $22,612,000 and Williams make a fully guaranteed $15,161,000.
They’ll very likely be extended before they even get to 2026 too. Hutchinson could be the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL and Williams could make quite a bit too.