The Detroit Lions have made significant moves to create cap space just before the start of the 2026 regular season. They restructured contracts for wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and tackle Penei Sewell, converting a substantial portion of their base salaries into signing bonuses.
Breakdown of the Restructures:
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: Converted $26 million of base salary into a signing bonus, generating $20.8 million in cap space.
- Penei Sewell: Converted $18.6 million of base salary into a signing bonus, creating $14.8 million in cap space.
Impact of the Moves:
These adjustments give the Lions a total of $35.8 million in cap space for 2026, allowing for greater flexibility in managing their roster. The restructuring helps mitigate the immediate cap hit, spreading the cost over future years as salary cap values rise.
Potential Future Moves:
With this new cap space, the Lions are now reportedly on the radar for acquiring defensive star Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders, who has a $30 million salary for 2026. The Raiders may be inclined to trade him if their season does not meet expectations, especially since they attempted to move him earlier this year.
Overall, these moves signify the Lions’ strategic approach to capitalizing on available talent while maintaining financial flexibility as they aim to strengthen their roster for a competitive season.
