The Detroit Lions are in a pretty good cap space spot right now, but they're likely on the verge of completing a couple of massive extensions for Kerby Joseph and Aidan Hutchinson. If we're basing it on the extension schedule last year, those could be done as early as this week, ahead of the draft.
If both major deals go through, that's going to have some sort of effect on the Lions' cap space and there will be some questions about how much is needed to sign their entire rookie class and how much they'll want to take into he season with them. For the latter, the usual amount is $10 million.
For the rookies, we'll refer to Over the Cap's rookie pool estimates. If the Lions stick to the exact draft order they have right now, they're estimated to pay $9,156,784 for their entire draft class in 2025. Here's how that breaks down:
28th pick
The projection is a four-year deal worth $16,480,082 with a 2025 cap hit of $2,996,478
60th pick
The projection is a four-year deal with $7,359,674 with a 2025 cap hit of $1,338,122.
102nd pick
The projection is a four-year deal worth $6,264,086 with a 2025 cap hit of $1,138,122.
130th pick
The projection is a four-year deal worth $5,098,140 with a 2025 cap hit of $1,064,535.
196th pick
The projection is a four-year deal worth $4,579,836 with a 2025 cap hit of $934,959.
228th pick
The projection is a four-year deal worth $4,413,976 with a 2025 cap hit of $4,306,772 with a 2025 cap hit of $866,693.
Now, if the Lions were to move up in the first round, the cost could go up quite a bit. For example, let's say the Lions were to trade up to the halfway point at 16 with the Cardinals. They'd have to pay more for that.
So they'd go from a four-year deal worth $16,480,082 with a 2025 cap hit of $2,996,478 to a four-year deal worth $19,367,542 with a 2025 cap hit of $3,521,371.
That's not that big of a jump in the short term, but it adds a few million dollars in the long term. I don't think that would sway the Lions off. You start getting into he $20 million or more category if you go any higher, though. For example, the 10th pick is projected to get a four-year deal worth $26,635,994 and have a 2025 cap hit of $4,842,908.
We'll see what the Lions do later this week, but this should give you an understanding of costs. While the Lions sit at an estimated $42,360,178 cap projection right now, take out nearly $20 million of that for the draft class and in-season transactions, and you're left with a little over $20 million, and that could change again when the deals start getting done.
