The Detroit Lions have plenty of financial resources available to strengthen their roster for the 2025 season, but the same can not be said for the long-term future at this present juncture.
Detroit is set to add seven players to its roster through the NFL draft, a number that could increase or decrease depending on how general manager Brad Holmes navigates the three-day event that begins Thursday.
For the 2025 season, the Lions currently have approximately $42.36 million in available cap space. This number ranks third in the league. As a result, the team could potentially be players to either add free agents or make a trade for a player in the final year of an expensive contract.
Detroit has a number of players starting expensive new contracts this season, and the way they've structured the deals has helped to create all the available cap space for this season. However, the contracts of Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Alim McNeill will all have their salary and cap numbers greatly increase in 2026.
Goff has the team's highest cap number at $32.6 million, as well as the team's highest base salary with $18 million.
The Lions do have some dead money that they've incurred as a result of some free agency moves. Carlton Davis signed with the Patriots, and a dead money charge of $9,823,456 will be on the Lions' books for 2025. Additionally, the Lions are on the hook for what would've been the final year of Cam Sutton's contract after he was released following a legal incident.
More tough decisions from a financial perspective are likely in the Lions' future beginning in 2026. However, for the time being, the team still has plenty of available space for the upcoming campaign.
The Lions were mostly quiet on the free agent front this offseason, with the exception of D.J. Reed signing a three-year deal. How they navigate the draft, and what positions they choose to add at, could provide an indication about the future of certain players on expiring deals as the Lions will seemingly not be able to retain everyone.
According to Spotrac, the Lions' seven draft picks are projected to have a combined cap hit of around $8.72 million. With the Lions having so much space for 2025, the total class will likely only make a small dent in the space for the season.
The draft is an important time, and for the Lions it is as important as ever to continue the standard of success set by Holmes in this event.
Lions top-five salary cap numbers in 2025 season
- QB Jared Goff — $32,600,000
- OT Taylor Decker — $23,098,000
- C Frank Ragnow — $14,050,000
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown — $13,910,000
- DT DJ Reader — $12,933,000
