The Detroit Lions are in a solid position as it relates to the salary cap.
After spending in free agency, the team still has a little over $27 million remaining in cap space.
The expected monies allocated for the draft should cost the team near $9 million, leaving approximately $18 million remaining.
Typically, general manager Brad Holmes likes to save monies for a rainy day during the season, meaning the team could still add one to two reasonably priced free agents this offseason and not tap into reserves set aside.
In 2024, Detroit is responsible for $23,054,506 in dead cap monies owed for several players no longer on the roster.
Holmes and the front office have been strategic in their decision-making regarding signing external free agents.
You don’t really know these players,” Holmes explained. “You see what you see on film but like I’ve told all of you that’s the easy coherent part. Can a guy come off the football? Ok. That’s easy. But you don’t really know them, know them and that’s why you have to be real careful.”
The legal situation with cornerback Cam Sutton has the potential to add more monies available, if the team eventually ends up terminating his contract and seeks cap relief.
Here is a look at how the Lions currently fare as it relates to the salary cap, according to Spotrac.
Updated Lions 2024 salary cap numbers
- Adjusted salary cap: $258,073,564
- Active contracts: $215,517,153
- Dead cap: $23,054,506
- 2023 rollover: $2,436,464
- Total: $238,571,659
- Top 51 contracts: $231,056,659
- Estimated cap space (All): $19,501,905
- Estimated cap space (Top 51): $27,016,905
2024 projected NFL draft class pool (cap hits)
- Round 1 (No. 29): $2,348,979
- Round 2 (No. 61): $1,168,708
- Round 3 (No. 73): $1,072,277
- Round 3 (No. 92): $1,025,978
- Round 5 (No. 164): $867,255
- Round 6 (No. 201): $837,317
- Round 6 (No. 205): $835,245
- Round 7 (No. 249): $815,364
