Lions Have Chance To Capitalize On Depressed Markets
An inability to build around the likes of Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford shortened these greats' tenures in Detroit. Stafford asking for a trade in 2021 brought another rebuild, one that now stands as a signature overhaul in the 21st-century NFL.
Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell ignited a moribund franchise. As former Lions peers in the NFL basement go through more structural turnover, we are now in Year 6 of the Holmes-Campbell regime. Although Sanders lifted reasonably talented rosters in the 1990s -- albeit without consistent quarterback play -- it is safe to call the current Lions setup the most well-run operation in the Motor City since the AFL-NFL merger 56 years ago.
The team is now in a third offseason where extensions are due for homegrown talent. The 2024 offseason brought timely paydays for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Jared Goff. The Lions later circled back to extending Taylor Decker and Alim McNeill as well. Last year brought re-ups for Kerby Joseph and Jameson Williams. This offseason does not supply decisions at cornerstone positions, giving it less flash but arguably more intrigue.
The Lions' batch of extension candidates entering the offseason play positions featuring three depressed markets, with the fourth candidate -- safety Brian Branch -- coming off an ACL tear. Detroit already paid Jack Campbell, who is now the NFL's second-highest-paid off-ball linebacker, and must decide on Jahmyr Gibbs' value and whether to let Sam LaPorta play out a contract year or reach an agreement now. The positions these young talents play present an interesting opportunity, though having so many candidates for top-market deals at low- or medium-priority areas will require a critical macro evaluation from the Holmes-led front office.
Lions’ Alim McNeill Back To Full Strength
Defensive injuries have become an ongoing trend during this mid-2020s Lions resurgence. While no position group has been spared here, Detroit entered last season limited at defensive tackle. Neither Alim McNeill nor Levi Onwuzurike were available, and the latter did not play at all in 2025.
McNeill, whose ACL tear was among the slew of injuries Detroit endured during its 15-2 2024 season, did not make his debut until Week 7 of last season. He joined Onwuzurike on the Lions’ reserve/PUP list to start the campaign. McNeill, whom the Lions extended two months before his injury in 2024, played 10 games last season but said he was not fully healthy. That has since changed.
[RELATED: S Kerby Joseph Uncertain For Week 1]
Describing himself as limited in his first season back from ACL rehab, McNeill said (via DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman) there is a “night and day” difference between then and now in terms of health. That is certainly welcome news for the Lions, who gave the former third-round pick a four-year, $97MM extension. The interior disruptor accompanies 2025 first-round pick Tyleik Williams as centerpieces of Detroit’s defensive line.
“Just being able to connect the mind and the body. Just my brain being able to know this leg is good and I can step and plant here,” McNeill said. “If you don’t have an inside rush, it doesn’t matter what you do. It’s what I’m here to do and what I’m going to do.”
McNeill, 26, finished last season with just one sack and two tackles for loss; the latter figure represented a career-low mark. McNeill had recorded at least six TFLs in each of the previous three seasons, combining for 19 from 2022-24. The high-priced D-lineman tallied just three quarterback hits; he combined for 24 over the previous three seasons. The Lions will be expecting a return to form in McNeill’s sixth season. His contract carries a full guarantee for 2026 and a $3MM guarantee in 2027.
McNeill heads up a Lions interior D-line corps that still includes Owuzurike, whose 2025 contract tolled due to him spending a full season on the team’s reserve/PUP list in a contract year (h/t Detroit Football’s Justin Rogers), to go with Williams, free agency addition Jay Tufele, third-year player Mekhi Wingo and sixth-round rookie Skyler Gill-Howard.
Lions Unsure If S Kerby Joseph Will Be Ready For Week 1
The Lions are a little over three months away from kicking off their season against the Saints on Sept. 13. It is unclear if standout safety Kerby Joseph, who is managing a degenerative knee condition, will be ready by then (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Asked Thursday if Joseph will be on the field in Week 1, head coach Dan Campbell said, “Honestly, we probably won’t know until we get into the thick of training camp.”
Joseph, a third-round pick in 2022, did enough over his first three seasons to earn a massive extension. Coming off a first-team All-Pro campaign in which he pulled in an NFL-leading nine interceptions, he inked a four-year, $86MM deal in April 2025. The agreement briefly made the 25-year-old the league’s highest-paid safety (the Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton surpassed him last August).
After the Lions made a huge long-term commitment to Joseph, it was clear they expected him and Brian Branch to continue forming an elite safety duo for at least a couple of more years. Unfortunately for Detroit, injuries foiled those plans for most of 2025. Joseph’s knee limited him to six games, and his last appearance came in an Oct. 12 loss to the Chiefs. Branch, meanwhile, missed five games (one because of a suspension) and tore his Achilles in a Week 14 win over the Cowboys on Dec. 4. Thanks in part to their absences, the Lions went a middling 9-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Because Branch suffered his Achilles tear late last season, he is not expected to be ready for the start of camp in late July. It is up in the air whether Joseph will still be sidelined then, though Campbell said the defender has “done everything he can do to this point” during the rehab process.
With Joseph and Branch on the mend from major injuries, the Lions added veteran safeties Christian Izien and Chuck Clark on modest free agent deals earlier in the offseason. Those two have worked with the first-team defense in OTAs this spring, per Birkett, and could be in for big roles if one or both of the Lions’ starters are still on the shelf in September.
Lions Not Close To Extension Agreement With RB Jahmyr Gibbs
JUNE 4: When speaking to the media on Thursday, Gibbs said (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard) he is not worried about agreeing to a new deal in time for the upcoming season. He added he is also not concerned about the possibility of Robinson signing his extension earlier. It will be interesting to see how the timing shakes out with those two backs, and the impact one deal will ultimately have on the other.
MAY 30: The Lions have finalized one big-money second contract with a member of their 2023 draft class (linebacker Jack Campbell). Three other notable players from that group are eligible for extensions, including Jahmyr Gibbs.
A payday for Detroit’s lead back has long been on the team’s radar. It would come as little surprise if Gibbs were to find himself securing a new deal relatively soon as he appears to be the next in line for one. There is plenty of work still to be done on that front, however.
During an appearance on NFL Live yesterday (video link), ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported there has not yet been much progress during negotiations between Gibbs and the Lions. Plenty of time remains for an agreement to be reached before the start of training camp, of course. Detroit also has the option of remaining patient in this case with Gibbs under team control through 2027.
A key factor as it pertains to Gibbs will no doubt be the movement seen in the running back market as early as this summer. Fowler noted, to no surprise, a pact averaging $20MM or more per year is likely for Gibbs. Saquon Barkley‘s pact currently leads all running backs with an average annual value of $20.6MM, but the bar could move multiple times in short order. Bijan Robinson is a strong candidate to become the league’s highest-paid back; he and Gibbs have become two of the NFL’s most productive at the position across the past three years.
A report from last month indicated Robinson is expected to land a more valuable extension than Gibbs. According to Fowler, however, some around the league view Detroit’s RB1 as being better than Atlanta’s. That could result in Gibbs moving to the top of the financial pecking order. In any case, the timing of extensions being worked out will no doubt be critical, and each fourth-year producer could prefer to wait until the other signs a deal.
Gibbs split carries with David Montgomery during his rookie season in particular, but he has taken on a major workload on the ground and through the air since arriving as a first-round pick. The 24-year-old has amassed over 5,000 scrimmage yards to date while scoring 49 total touchdowns. Any commitment made by the team will ensure Gibbs remains in the Motor City while making him one of several offensive players attached to a big-ticket deal.
The likes of quarterback Jared Goff, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and left tackle Penei Sewell are already on the books at a large cost for Detroit. Tight end Sam LaPorta is a pending 2027 free agent, and the Lions are also interested in a new contract in his case. Fitting Gibbs into that financial setup will carry challenges, but an uptick in negotiations to work out a long-term pact is likely to take place over the coming weeks.
Lions WR Kendrick Law Suffers ACL Tear
Kendrick Law will not be available to the Lions in 2026. Head coach Dan Campbell said on Thursday (via team reporter Tim Twentyman) the rookie receiver tore his ACL in practice earlier this week.
Law was the second of two players selected in the fifth round of April’s draft by the Lions. The Alabama and Kentucky product experienced a significant uptick in production during the 2025 season, his first and only as a member of the Wildcats. Law posted 540 yards on 53 catches during his final college campaign.
A depth role awaited him upon entry into the NFL, but Law’s attention will now turn to a lengthy recovery period instead. The soon-to-be 23-year-old will attempt to rehab in time for spring workouts and training camp next year and in doing so allow himself to carve out a roster spot in 2027. Law’s rookie contract runs through 2029.
Detroit’s passing attack will once again lean heavily on Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams this season. Both veterans remain attached to big-ticket deals, and their performances will be key in allowing the Lions to return to the playoffs in 2026. Isaac TeSlaa – taken in the third round of last year’s draft – along with free agent signings Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson round out the top spots on the WR depth chart.
Law will be headed to injured reserve as confirmation his rookie campaign ended well before it began. Meanwhile, the Lions signed another wideout in the form of Kyre Duplessis on Thursday, per a team announcement. He will look to fill in for Law in terms of competing for a backup/special teams role over the course of the summer.
Lions Add Chris Grier To Front Office
Lions general manager Brad Holmes is adding another experienced voice to his front office. Holmes has hired former Dolphins GM Chris Grier as a personnel executive, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
After the Dolphins struggled to a 2-7 start in 2025, they and the 56-year-old Grier parted ways on Halloween. The split ended a long run in Miami for Grier, who began his tenure with the organization as a scout in 2000. Grier worked his way up from there to become the Dolphins’ GM in 2016, though he did not have full autonomy at first. He reported to vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum until his late-2018 demotion.
Grier’s time atop the Dolphins’ front office included a pair of head coaching hires in Brian Flores (2019) and Mike McDaniel (2022). His first-round draft picks consisted of Laremy Tunsil, Charles Harris, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Christian Wilkins, Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, Chop Robinson and Kenneth Grant. Grier spent other first-rounders on veterans Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb in high-profile trades. Out of that group, only Robinson and Grant are still with the organization.
Tagovailoa looked like a franchise quarterback at times in Miami, leading Grier to authorize a four-year, $212.4MM extension with $167.1MM guaranteed in July 2024. That decision proved disastrous for the Dolphins, who released the former fifth overall pick this past March and ate a record-breaking $99.2MM in dead money. They are spreading that money out over the next two years, meaning Tagovailoa will be on their books through 2027. The same goes for Chubb. Tagovailoa, Hill and Chubb will combine to count over $96MM in dead money against the Dolphins’ cap this season. Former Grier acquisitions like Waddle, Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey are also among ex-Dolphins who are eating into their cap to significant degrees.
Miami went to the playoffs three times with Grier as its GM and finished better than .500 in five seasons, but the team never won a playoff game. Rookie GM Jon Eric-Sullivan, Grier’s replacement, is now leading a full-fledged rebuild.
Latest On Lions’ Injuries: Branch, LaPorta, Arnold
During Organized Team Activities this week, Lions head coach Dan Campbell addressed the latest on the recovery efforts of a few players who suffered season-ending injuries last year, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The name of the game for Detroit this offseason appears to be “patience” as Campbell was in no hurry to see any of his injured players rushed back for OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
Starting safety Brian Branch may require the most patience. After tearing the Achilles tendon in his right leg late last year, Branch is reportedly “not expected to be ready for the start of training camp in late July.” Fellow starting safety Kerby Joseph missed the last 11 games of the year “due to a degenerative condition in his knee.” The two had become a reliable duo in the Lions’ defensive outfield, and their extended absences forced Detroit to invest in some insurance in free agency this offseason.
Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is working his way back from a herniated disc in his back and “has taken part in ‘some walk-through (and) jog-through’ portions of practice this spring.” Though he is back on the field early, Detroit will continue to practice patience as LaPorta “is not expected to be a full participant in practice until training camp.” The same was true for cornerback Terrion Arnold, who is being slow-played as he works his way back from season-ending shoulder surgery in the hope that he’ll be healthy when the team opens the season.
Though Campbell did not provide an update on Joseph’s recovery timeline, he relayed that none of Branch, Joseph, or LaPorta were expected to participate this past week. “The most important thing is continue to let them improve, rehab, all that,” Campbell told reporters. “That’ll take precedence right now. So, they’re in meetings, they’re getting the mental side of this. Just take it day to day.”
Jack Campbell Did Not Push To Reset LB Market
Jack Campbell earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 2025, cementing his status as one of the best linebackers in football. His new four-year, $81MM contract rewarded him accordingly, though his $20.25MM AAV still trails Fred Warner, who makes $21MM per year.
At 25 years old, Campbell certainly had a case to surpass the 49ers veteran. Though the Lions declined his $21.9MM fifth-year option (for the 2027 season), the former first-round pick could have driven a hard bargain and at least eclipsed Warner’s annual pay. But that was not his priority.
“I feel like for me I don’t need to be the highest paid,” Campbell said before apologizing to other players at his position who would have benefitted from a market reset. The linebacker market has barely moved in the last few years – in fact, in terms of percentage of salary cap, teams are paying linebackers less.
A transformative market update often requires a young, elite player to push for a record-breaking sum on his second contract. Campbell fit the bill, and beyond him, there may not be another chance until 2025 second-rounder and Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger is extension-eligible…in 2028.
“But I just feel like for me I knew what I wanted in this,” Campbell added (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I want to help the team in any ways possible just to continue to keep the core together. So I mean, at the end of the day I feel like it was fair for the team and I’m more than happy with everything that they’ve blessed me with.”
Among Campbell’s blessings are an $8.6MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed salaries in 2026 and 2027, worth $2.4MM. His $11.89MM option bonus due next year is also guaranteed, per OverTheCap. Campbell also is eligible for $100k workout bonuses in each of the next four offseasons.
Overall, though, Campbell’s contract is exceedingly team-friendly. He will only receive $22.9MM over the first two years of the deal with no guaranteed money past 2027. His option bonuses – worth $18.85MM in 2028, $5MM in 2029, and $15.4MM in 2030 – are essentially team options. Theoretically, Detroit could get out of the deal and pay Campbell $43.05MM through three years or $63.5MM through four. Both resulting AAVs are far below the annual $20.25MM sticker price of his deal.
With that structure in mind, it certainly seems that Campbell could have pushed for a better deal, whether that meant a market-setting AAV for linebackers or a more advantageous payment structure. It remains to be seen if fellow 2023 first-rounder Jahmyr Gibbs will be willing to take a similarly team-friendly deal, or if he will aim higher for a reset of the running back market.
Lions Could Extend RB Jahmyr Gibbs Soon; Team Still Interested In New Deal For TE Sam LaPorta
One year ago (almost to the day), we noted the Lions were already looking ahead to an extension for running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who was entering his third professional season. After a standout 2025 campaign, the time for Gibbs’ second contract could be approaching.
Detroit recently extended linebacker Jack Campbell, who was selected six picks after Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 draft. Given that the NFL continues to group off-ball LBs and pass-rushing LBs together for valuation purposes, the Lions had no choice but to decline Campbell’s fifth-year option, which would have made 2026 a platform year if not for the new deal.
In terms of club control, there is not as much urgency for the Lions to extend Gibbs. Because they did exercise the RB’s fifth-year option, he is locked in through the 2027 slate, and Detroit theoretically could utilize some sort of tag after that. However, with Campbell’s future now addressed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks Gibbs is next in line. In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (video link), Schefter expressed his belief that an agreement will be coming this summer.
Even though Falcons RB Bijan Robinson is expected to land a more lucrative contract than Gibbs, the Lions may want to beat Atlanta to the punch and finalize a Gibbs extension before Robinson adds another data point to the top of the RB market. Irrespective of Robinson’s status, Detroit’s three–time Pro Bowler is in line to score a deal paying him in excess of $15MM per year, which would place him no lower than third in the NFL’s running back hierarchy. At present, Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM/year), Christian McCaffrey ($19MM), and Derrick Henry ($15MM) lead the way in terms of average annual value.
And Gibbs has certainly earned a big payday. The dual-threat has found the end zone a whopping 49 times (39 rushing, 10 receiving) in as many games. A two-time 1,200-yard rusher, Gibbs has averaged a robust 5.3 YPC on 675 career attempts. The 24-year-old is also fresh off a 77-catch season, easily surpassing the respectable 52 he totaled in each of his first two years.
In addition to Gibbs and Campbell, the 2023 draft also produced tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch. In January, GM Brad Holmes identified all four members of that high-impact quartet as priorities. Holmes has checked Campbell’s extension off his to-do list, and it sounds as if Gibbs’ deal could be done in fairly short order. Similarly, Schefter says Detroit still wants to work out a long-term pact with LaPorta.
Because LaPorta and Branch were not first-round picks, they were not eligible for a fifth-year option. As such, they will be out of contract at the end of the ‘26 season unless a new pact is worked out before then.
While it may not mean anything, Schefter does not reference Branch in his report. Holmes’ January remarks notwithstanding, we heard the versatile defender probably would not receive an extension this offseason, so he could be on track to hit free agency in 2027.
Lions Extend LB Jack Campbell
11:20pm: Campbell and the Lions agreed to a four-year deal worth $81MM, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $51.5MM in guaranteed money.
With the deal coming in at a $20.25MM average annual value, Campbell will slide right behind Warner ($21MM) and right ahead of Smith ($20MM) on the list of the highest AAVs among linebackers.
12:55pm: Extension talks between the Lions and Jack Campbell have produced an agreement. The All-Pro linebacker announced on Thursday that he has signed a new deal with Detroit.
The Lions recently declined Campbell’s fifth-year option, but an extension remained the team’s goal in this case. The Lions have since confirmed today’s news of a long-term pact being finalized. Campbell will remain on the books through 2030 as a result of this deal.
This marks the first Lions action with regards to one of their impact 2023 draftees. The team came away with Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch in the first two rounds of the ’23 draft. The team exercised Gibbs’ fifth-year option, buying more time on that front, but off-ball linebacker options are annually declined. Detroit followed suit, but this move differentiates the Lions, as several teams have lost first-round ILBs in free agency after declining an option.
Since the Buccaneers exercised Devin White‘s option in 2022, no team has picked up a non-rush linebacker’s. This has led to subsequent free agency defections from Patrick Queen, Jordyn Brooks, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd over the past three offseasons. Lloyd and Walker respectively left Jacksonville and Green Bay in March. The Lions’ proactivity with Campbell — whose option, thanks to the NFL grouping rush and non-rush ‘backers together in the option formula, checked in at $21.93MM — will bring a course change at this position and ensure a 2025 All-Pro talent remains in place with the team that selected him.
Detroit drew criticism coming out of the 2023 first round, as both picks went to players at non-premium positions. But Gibbs has become one of the NFL’s most electric running backs; Campbell made 2025 a breakout season. The Iowa product, chosen 18th overall in 2023, zoomed to first-team All-Pro acclaim after finishing the season with 176 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and nine tackles for loss. Campbell is the first player to record 160-plus tackles and five-plus sacks in a season in more than 20 years.
He became the first Lions linebacker to claim first-team All-Pro honors since Chris Spielman‘s 1991 season. Because of Campbell’s original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, his option number increased to nearly $22MM.
Campbell, 25, has never missed a game as a pro. This ironman run proved tremendously beneficial for the Lions in 2024, when their 15-2 squad lost several defenders — including linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez — to major injuries. The Lions re-signed Barnes to a three-year, $24MM deal in 2025 but let Anzalone play out his contract. The longtime starter joined the Bucs in free agency. Rodriguez re-signed with the Lions (one year, $2.75MM) in March.
Although the Lions could not negotiate with Campbell on a new deal until January, a re-up has been on the team’s radar for a while. We heard in November a likelihood the team would act here, and steady buzz has built in the months since. GM Brad Holmes called Campbell, Gibbs, LaPorta and Branch priorities in January, and the team has now taken care of one key contractual matter. It would surprise if a Gibbs payday does not follow suit, potentially leaving the Lions with a LaPorta-or-Branch decision. Holmes, however, has done well to extend core players drafted during his tenure.
This Campbell extension follows the deals given to Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson. With Jared Goff also extended, the top of the Lions’ payroll is becoming a bit crowded. Considering the struggles the franchise endured in the period prior to Holmes’ arrival, this represents a good problem to have.
The NFL only features two off-ball linebackers on $20MM-per-year deals — All-Pros Fred Warner and Roquan Smith — while Azeez Al-Shaair ($18MM AAV) and Zack Baun ($17MM) are the only ILBs north of $15MM per annum. This is a good time to pay an inside ‘backer, with the market stagnating during the 2020s. Al-Shaair’s extension earlier this year could certainly be relevant for Campbell, and it would surprise if the ascending player did not join this group as a top-five salary player at the position.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.