Detroit Lions Mailbag: How can Detroit afford anyone after Aidan Hutchinson’s deal? Here’s how everyone is getting paid, and we mean everyone
The Lions are going to be able to get everyone signed and here’s how they do it
The bye week is over, but the questions from Detroit Lions fans will never end. The questions are everywhere. They’re coming to get you, Barbara. Let’s answer them.
How can the Lions afford everyone after this big Aidan Hutchinson deal?
How can the Lions afford anyone else after this Huchinson deal?
— jimmyjackfunk.bsky.social (@jimmyjackfunk.bsky.social) October 29, 2025 at 11:55 AM
This is actually expert stuff from Brad Holmes. It’s easy to look strictly at the biggest number and think that ties everything up. We still need to see full details on the Huchinson deal, but looking at the Kerby Joseph and Jameson Williams deals shows you a pattern of backloading deals and putting a lot into guaranteed money and bonuses.
Joseph’s deal has a ton of dead money up front, but that allows for smaller cap hits in 25, 26, and 27. Then Williams doesn’t have a large cap hit until 2028, and it’s largely the same thing. Dead money up front for lower cap hits now. It’s taking advantage of cap inflation because that cap is going to keep growing, barring another Covid-19-like thing.
Once Hutchinson’s deal comes out, I’m willing to bet there are two things attached to it. The first is low cap hits up front, and the second is multiple void years. That allows the Lions to stretch things out and get these deals done now.
The other big thing that simply hasn’t happened yet is Jared Goff’s probable restructuring after this season. Because of the void years, the Lions can open up $40 million in cap space in 2026. Couple that with low cap hits, and you can easily see the path to getting Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta, and Jack Campbell signed to top-of-the-market deals. It’s all about the gymnastics, and Brad Holmes and company are Simone Biles right now.
Is the Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery duo cooked?
Yes and no. Right now, Gibbs is on a heater, and you have to go with the hot hand. The Lions’ offense is just a lot more dynamic with Gibbs, and opposing defenses have to respect things a lot more. That doesn’t mean the Lions are just done with Montgomery. He’s still getting his reps, and he’s still going to get his fair share of carries. I just wouldn’t start him in your fantasy leagues at the moment.
So in terms of the guys playing every other drive, yeah, that might be done for now. But in terms of having a great duo who can still get things done, that’s still happening — with some changes.
Are the Lions still looking for a center?
After training camp, Holmes said the plan was still to move forward with trying Tate Ratledge at center. After the way he’s played at right guard this year, it feels hard to see them going that route because Ratledge is just too good there. So, with that in mind, I would expect the Lions to pay attention to center in the draft. Auburn’s Connor Lew is someone to keep an eye on.
Where is Miles Frazier?
At this point, we still don’t know what’s going on there. The last time Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about him was on Sept. 29. This was his response:
“What I would tell you is he is progressing, not as fast as we had hoped,” Campbell said. “And I can’t say that we won’t get him back at some point here, but it’s not as clear as say like (Lions OL Christian) Mahogany was last year. It was very clear at this point that OK, he’s getting healthy, he’s starting to feel better. We’re not quite there, but he is improving.”
How many picks do the Lions have in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Right now, it’s a little bit unclear. The Lions have six picks for sure. They have a first, second, fourth, fifth, two sixths, and a seventh. Where things get unclear is that the Lions got a conditional seventh-round pick from the Jaguars for Riley Patterson, but nobody knows what the conditions are or if they were met. So it’s one of those things where we simply have to wait for the NFL to announce all the picks to find out what happens.
The other thing is compensatory picks. The Lions could get a compensatory fourth-round pick for the loss of Carlton Davis if, and it’s a big if, D.J. Reed misses more time. At this point, it doesn’t look that way since Reed was working with trainers at practice on Tuesday. That’s usually a good sign someone is coming right back when they’re cleared.
In terms of what they target, I think they’ll be looking at quarterback, center, and edge more than anything else.
Why did I publish that article about the Lions possibly drafting a quarterback?
OK, John, with the A.I. profile pic that looks like a bad sketch of Kevin Spacey. The reason I wrote that article is literally in the article. The Lions have been to multiple schools to scout players this season, and a large number of the confirmed visits we know about are at schools with quarterbacks expected to be in this year’s draft.
Sure, they’re there to see other players, too, but do you think they take naps when the quarterback is out there?
Of course, it’s speculation. That’s why the words “seems” and “likely” are in the headline. The thing is, people don’t understand what the media’s job is these days. It’s not just to report; it’s to report things that are actually happening. It’s to do that, speculate on things, and have an opinion. Unfortunately, we live in a world where that nuance has been lost because TV news is essentially just all opinion now, and people think that’s news.
Is there something more to Josh Paschal’s injury that we don’t know?
Is there something more to this Paschal situation? Seems really odd with the way Campbell is or isn’t addressing it.
— Hutch is back! (@michagain.bsky.social) October 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I don’t know if there’s anything hidden here, but it doesn’t look good right now. Every time Campbell has been asked about Paschal, the answer is some variation of “he’s not ready yet, but he’s getting better.” So, at this point, it’s up in the air whether or not he’ll actually play this season.
The good news is that since he’s on the NFI, the Lions won’t have to use one of their eight return spots from the IR.
What is my favorite Mexican song?
Some context here. I have a Mexican wife, and I’m always talking to Mauricio about stuff that I learn from my in-laws. Look, I can go deep here and try to come up with a song that isn’t totally popular and wasn’t part of that Latin explosion we had in the late 90s, but it’s Bailamos by Enrique Iglesias.
My wife and I sing this song out loud around the house, probably 20 times a week. If it’s not the actual lyrics, it’s lyrics that add one or both of the dogs’ names into it. I mean, we have a sign in our kitchen that says “En esta cocina bailamos.” Which means in this kitchen we dance. Because we do frequently have kitchen dance parties together, OK, aside from that one, here’s a list of songs I love:
- No Se Va by Groupo Frontera
- Anillo de Compromiso by Cuco Sanchez
- Sauvemente by Elvis Crespo
- Eres Tu by Mocedades
- Pelo Suelto by Gloria Trevi
- Como La Flor by Selena (Really, anything by Selena)