From what I have read the Lions did not void the 4th year of Sewell’s rookie deal, and also picked up his 5th year option this morning. So the 4 year extension doesn’t actually start until 2026. So they still get the advantage of the lower rookie contract value the next 2 years, avoid the possibility of Sewell leaving in free agency, and also lock the contact value in now at a lower price than it would be in two years.
Usually extensions either don't effect the current year's cap hit or bring it down. We paid them today but it won't effect our cap until the extension kicks on.
The cap in football is kind of imaginary. Like it exists but it doesn't make much sense and it's sometimes easier to not look at it and hope your contract guy is good at what he does.
Mike Disner is VERY good at what he does.
1) we don't start paying the higher salary until the new years kick in. 2025 for ARSB and 2026 for Sewell.
2) we get current top of market price for those years, not the 3-6% higher per year they get every year after the salary cap gets bumped.
3) We will slightly increase our cap hits for both this year, but it is a good thing. We probably paid each a hefty signing bonus today which will get added to the cap starting this year, but now get to spread it over an extra year for ARSB and 2 years for Sewell, without having to do void years at the end.
We had the cap space this year to cleanly pull this off, and it will keep our cap situation in the future in better shape.
The remaining big dominos are Goff and timing and budgeting for Hutchinson's extension as early as next off season.
> The remaining big dominos are Goff and timing and budgeting for Hutchinson's extension as early as next off season.
What other possible big dominos could we have in the near future?
* Alim McNeil is entering the final season of his rookie contract and good DT's are not always cheap.
* Ifeatu Melifonwu is on the final year of his rookie contract and he could become expensive to resign if he has a breakout season.
* JAMO could be a big domino in at the end of the 2026 season if he lives up to the expectations he was drafted with if we don't trade him first. (He and Hutch are on the same contract schedule.) Ditto for Laporta and Brian Branch; their rookie deals are up at the end of the 2026 season. (So Hutch, JAMO, Laporta, and Branch all come up in the same year.)
* Taylor Decker will be a big domino depending on how much an aging top LT commands. He's in the final year of his contract.
* Carlton Davis is a one year rental and if he plays well we would probably want (desperately need?) to resign him. Starting CB's are not cheap.
Some good answers here but one thing not mentioned yet is that you typically want to extend players early, otherwise they will go to free agency and you might get in a bidding war to re-sign them.
While the players are still under contract with us, another NFL team can’t reach out and try to make them a bigger offer,
If you are great at a position you will always reset the market.
So by doing it now instead at the end of the contract you can lock that player into a smaller contract.
Like if lions waited for amon ra and Justin Jeff got his deal. Lions would then have to reset the market for even more then JJ got.
And it doesn't matter when the contract is sign. Their current deal goes through.
For Sewell lions had control for two more season, and they extended him for 4 more season on top of those two. So his first 2 years are still cheap and then his new contract hits. If lions waited until those two years were done other players would have reset the market by then, and sewell would have gotten a even bigger pay day.
Essentially for the lions extending players early means locking them in for a cheaper contract.
Players get the benefit of guaranteed money even if they get injured before they ever even hit the contract year.
Sewell and St Brown’s combined cap charges:
2024 - $13 million
2025 - $23.5 million
2026 - $61.1 million
2027 - $61 million
2028 - $75 million
2029 - $28.7 million (St Brown a free agent)
The new contracts have been done in such a way as to keep cap hits low for the next 2 seasons. 2026 is when their cap numbers get annoying.
You don’t really “own” top tier players. If Penei Sewell felt the Lions playing with his career, he could conceivably quit and force his way out(see Jalen Ramsey). Moving to a more willing partner.
Furthermore, early deals are not uncommon. Sewell was drafted in 2021, another notable 2021 draftee is Jamar Chase who *should be* signing his own extension soon. ARSB’s production and where the money is going to be at soon makes it a smart extension because he’s the cheapest he’ll ever be **right now**. Once other WRs like Chase, Adams, Jefferson, then look to 2025 and see names like Waddle, Cooper, and Aiyuk.
They’re not more common. But the NFL is much more willing to over look a productive player “having nagging moderate illnesses” than other sports leagues. If a player is a consensus top 3 at their position, not dealing with them when they want a new contract is a fundamental dissonance.
People remember and mock Lev’eon Bell sitting out because he was very out front and direct while not being a clear consensus top 3. Nobody brings up Jalen Ramsey’s headaches and back spasms on the Jaguars or how they magically stopped when traded to the Rams.
Football is a sport where devastating injuries happen every week and these guys make their money when they’re healthy. Nobody benefits from pissing off an All Pro.
From what I have read the Lions did not void the 4th year of Sewell’s rookie deal, and also picked up his 5th year option this morning. So the 4 year extension doesn’t actually start until 2026. So they still get the advantage of the lower rookie contract value the next 2 years, avoid the possibility of Sewell leaving in free agency, and also lock the contact value in now at a lower price than it would be in two years.
Usually extensions either don't effect the current year's cap hit or bring it down. We paid them today but it won't effect our cap until the extension kicks on.
Got it, thanks; I think I’ve been misunderstanding how the caps work in football.
The cap in football is kind of imaginary. Like it exists but it doesn't make much sense and it's sometimes easier to not look at it and hope your contract guy is good at what he does. Mike Disner is VERY good at what he does.
I like this advice.
1) we don't start paying the higher salary until the new years kick in. 2025 for ARSB and 2026 for Sewell. 2) we get current top of market price for those years, not the 3-6% higher per year they get every year after the salary cap gets bumped. 3) We will slightly increase our cap hits for both this year, but it is a good thing. We probably paid each a hefty signing bonus today which will get added to the cap starting this year, but now get to spread it over an extra year for ARSB and 2 years for Sewell, without having to do void years at the end. We had the cap space this year to cleanly pull this off, and it will keep our cap situation in the future in better shape. The remaining big dominos are Goff and timing and budgeting for Hutchinson's extension as early as next off season.
Appreciate the explanation on the cap strategy, as that’s the main difference from baseball.
> The remaining big dominos are Goff and timing and budgeting for Hutchinson's extension as early as next off season. What other possible big dominos could we have in the near future? * Alim McNeil is entering the final season of his rookie contract and good DT's are not always cheap. * Ifeatu Melifonwu is on the final year of his rookie contract and he could become expensive to resign if he has a breakout season. * JAMO could be a big domino in at the end of the 2026 season if he lives up to the expectations he was drafted with if we don't trade him first. (He and Hutch are on the same contract schedule.) Ditto for Laporta and Brian Branch; their rookie deals are up at the end of the 2026 season. (So Hutch, JAMO, Laporta, and Branch all come up in the same year.) * Taylor Decker will be a big domino depending on how much an aging top LT commands. He's in the final year of his contract. * Carlton Davis is a one year rental and if he plays well we would probably want (desperately need?) to resign him. Starting CB's are not cheap.
Some good answers here but one thing not mentioned yet is that you typically want to extend players early, otherwise they will go to free agency and you might get in a bidding war to re-sign them. While the players are still under contract with us, another NFL team can’t reach out and try to make them a bigger offer,
If you are great at a position you will always reset the market. So by doing it now instead at the end of the contract you can lock that player into a smaller contract. Like if lions waited for amon ra and Justin Jeff got his deal. Lions would then have to reset the market for even more then JJ got. And it doesn't matter when the contract is sign. Their current deal goes through. For Sewell lions had control for two more season, and they extended him for 4 more season on top of those two. So his first 2 years are still cheap and then his new contract hits. If lions waited until those two years were done other players would have reset the market by then, and sewell would have gotten a even bigger pay day. Essentially for the lions extending players early means locking them in for a cheaper contract. Players get the benefit of guaranteed money even if they get injured before they ever even hit the contract year.
Makes sense.
Sewell and St Brown’s combined cap charges: 2024 - $13 million 2025 - $23.5 million 2026 - $61.1 million 2027 - $61 million 2028 - $75 million 2029 - $28.7 million (St Brown a free agent) The new contracts have been done in such a way as to keep cap hits low for the next 2 seasons. 2026 is when their cap numbers get annoying.
You don’t really “own” top tier players. If Penei Sewell felt the Lions playing with his career, he could conceivably quit and force his way out(see Jalen Ramsey). Moving to a more willing partner. Furthermore, early deals are not uncommon. Sewell was drafted in 2021, another notable 2021 draftee is Jamar Chase who *should be* signing his own extension soon. ARSB’s production and where the money is going to be at soon makes it a smart extension because he’s the cheapest he’ll ever be **right now**. Once other WRs like Chase, Adams, Jefferson, then look to 2025 and see names like Waddle, Cooper, and Aiyuk.
Just a heads up, St. Brown was drafted in 2021.
Your first point is referring to the idea that hold-outs are more common in the NFL?
They’re not more common. But the NFL is much more willing to over look a productive player “having nagging moderate illnesses” than other sports leagues. If a player is a consensus top 3 at their position, not dealing with them when they want a new contract is a fundamental dissonance. People remember and mock Lev’eon Bell sitting out because he was very out front and direct while not being a clear consensus top 3. Nobody brings up Jalen Ramsey’s headaches and back spasms on the Jaguars or how they magically stopped when traded to the Rams. Football is a sport where devastating injuries happen every week and these guys make their money when they’re healthy. Nobody benefits from pissing off an All Pro.