The Lions are on the verge of changing what their most expensive group is to one of the most expensive groups in the league -It’s not running back or linebacker
The Detroit Lions are soon going to be doing a lot of extensions. Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Brian Branch are all expected to get their big paydays before you know it. One of them is going to contribute to the Lions having one of the most expensive groups in the NFL, and […]
The Detroit Lions are soon going to be doing a lot of extensions. Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Brian Branch are all expected to get their big paydays before you know it. One of them is going to contribute to the Lions having one of the most expensive groups in the NFL, and their most expensive group on the team.
The Lions are about to have one of the most expensive secondaries in the NFL
Right now, the Lions are paying their secondary a lot. It accounts for $52,984,135 of the Lions’ cap spending. The only thing they’ve spent more money on is their offensive line at $53,486,108. This is all before a Brian Branch extension.
| Player | Pos | Cap Hit | Cap % | Cash | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.J. Reed | CB | $17,867,000 | 5.28% | $15,000,000 | $16,000,000 |
| Brian Branch | S | $6,475,496 | 1.92% | $5,767,000 | $2,005,433 |
| Kerby Joseph | S | $5,472,200 | 1.62% | $11,500,000 | $21,500,000 |
| Terrion Arnold | CB | $3,911,921 | 1.16% | $2,098,974 | $3,585,928 |
| Rock Ya-Sin | CB | $3,200,000 | 0.95% | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 |
| Christian Izien | S | $1,955,000 | 0.58% | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Ennis Rakestraw | CB | $1,768,567 | 0.52% | $1,384,522 | $1,621,187 |
| Khalil Dorsey | CB | $1,693,823 | 0.50% | $1,625,000 | $1,650,000 |
| Avonte Maddox | CB | $1,262,500 | 0.37% | $1,487,500 | $1,487,500 |
| Roger McCreary | CB | $1,262,500 | 0.37% | $1,402,500 | $1,402,500 |
| Chuck Clark | S | $1,262,500 | 0.37% | $1,487,500 | $1,487,500 |
| Thomas Harper | S | $1,075,000 | 0.32% | $1,075,000 | $946,667 |
| Loren Strickland | S | $1,075,000 | 0.32% | $1,075,000 | $1,075,000 |
| Keith Abney II | CB | $1,009,722 | 0.30% | $1,383,888 | $1,219,722 |
| Nick Whiteside | CB | $1,005,000 | 0.30% | $1,005,000 | $1,005,000 |
| Dan Jackson | S | $917,906 | 0.27% | $885,000 | $1,082,906 |
| Aamaris Brown | CB | $885,000 | 0.26% | $885,000 | $1,033,333 |
| De’Shawn Rucker | CB | $885,000 | 0.26% | $885,000 | $1,033,333 |
That’s a lot. Now, let’s talk about the possibility of the Lions making Branch one of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL. The likely extension would be something like a four-year deal worth $92 million. That would make him the top-five highest-paid safety. He’d be the third highest paid, to be exact.
Now, add AAV of $23 million, and you can see how the Lions are spending more on their secondary than any other group. Even after major extensions for Campbell, Gibbs, and LaPorta get done, they still don’t add up to the amount the Lions are paying their secondary.
Now, where does that fit with the rest of the league? Here’s what it would look like:
| Rank | Team | Secondary Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colts | $80.4M |
| 2 | Giants | $74.4M |
| 3 | Lions | $68.7M |
| 4 | Panthers | $63.8M |
| 5 | Falcons | $61.3M |
| 6 | Bears | $61.0M |
| 7 | Ravens | $59.5M |
| 8 | Broncos | $59.1M |
| 9 | Steelers | $56.1M |
| 10 | Patriots | $55.4M |
| 11 | Browns | $53.6M |
| 12 | Chargers | $51.4M |
| 13 | Titans | $50.5M |
| 14 | Cowboys | $48.8M |
| 15 | Rams | $47.2M |
| 16 | Cardinals | $46.6M |
| 17 | Buccaneers | $44.5M |
| 18 | Packers | $43.8M |
| 19 | Jets | $43.6M |
| 20 | Bengals | $40.2M |
| 21 | Vikings | $39.5M |
| 22 | Jaguars | $39.2M |
| 23 | Texans | $38.4M |
| 24 | Seahawks | $37.8M |
| 25 | Raiders |
In this scenario, the Lions would have the third-most-expensive secondary in the NFL in 2026. Proof that the Lions have put extensive funds into trying to fix what was once one of their biggest problems. Now, they just need everyone to stay healthy.
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