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Lions GM Brad Holmes Addresses Pending Aidan Hutchinson Extension

April 8th, 2025 at 12:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Entering the 2025 offseason, Nick Bosa led the way in terms of annual compensation amongst edge rushers. His 49ers deal averages $34MM per season, a figure which has been surpassed more than once this spring.

Maxx Crosby‘s new arrangement with the Raiders is worth $35.5MM per year, and Myles Garrett quickly moved past that figure. The latter’s Browns trade request was rescinded with a four-year, $160MM extension being worked out. Garrett now leads the pack for edge rush compensation, although Ja’Marr Chase‘s Bengals pact makes him the top earner for non-quarterbacks at $40.25MM annually.

If the Lions are to work out a deal with Aidan Hutchinson, surpassing both Garrett and Chase may very well be necessary. The EDGE market could see further movement at (or at least near) the top, a factor which could continue to drive up the asking price on an extension for the 2022 draft’s second overall pick. General manager Brad Holmes and the Lions are well aware of what a Hutchinson pact will cost, though.

“It is what it is,” Holmes said of the rising cost of elite edge rushers, (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I mean, we had it in that range kind of already when we do our future planning and budgeting, but then obviously when it goes up it just goes up and that’s just what you got to prepare for.”

Indeed, the rising salary cap led to the expectation Bosa’s pact would be overtaken as the most lucrative one for pass rushers this spring. Likewise, Justin Jefferson‘s run as the top earner for receivers (and non-QBs) was relatively short-lived. Chase could be surpassed in that regard once one of the next pending mega-deals for edge rushers is in place. Hutchinson is joined by Micah Parsons (Cowboys), Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and T.J. Watt (Steelers) as players in line to receive a major raise on their next deals.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a strong rookie campaign with 9.5 sacks, and he upped that total to 11.5 the following season. Expectations were high for Hutchinson in particular and the Lions in general entering 2024, and he looked to be on his way toward Defensive Player of the Year consideration with 7.5 sacks in five games. A broken fibula ended his campaign, however, and he was unable to return to action for the playoffs. With a full recovery expected, though, the Michigan product is a clear extension priority for the Lions.

Detroit made a number of lucrative commitments on the offensive side of the ball last offseason. Quarterback Jared Goff, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker all received multi-year deals, locking them in for the foreseeable future. Keeping the running back tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery intact past the next few years will soon become more expensive than it currently is, and finding the funds for a second Jameson Williams contract could prove to be challenging.

Nonetheless, Hutchinson and safety Kerby Joseph represent key goals with respect to in-house moves for this offseason. The Lions will no doubt pick up Hutchinson’s 2026 fifth-year option, valued at $20.86MM. A multi-year accord will cost much more than that, but Detroit is firmly in play to be the next team to make a massive investment along the edge.

Lions Remain In Contact With Za’Darius Smith; Reunion On Radar

April 5th, 2025 at 9:11am CST by Sam Robinson

A trade rental in the wake of what turned out to be a season-ending Aidan Hutchinson injury, Za’Darius Smith made some notable contributions for a depleted Lions team. Detroit, however, released the veteran edge rusher prior to a $7MM option bonus kicking in.

This marked the second time an NFC North team had made Smith a cap casualty in four years, as the Packers made the same move in 2022. That led Smith to Minnesota, Cleveland and then Detroit. The Browns huddled up on a new contract with Smith a year after trading for him, and the Lions are not closing the book on doing the same.

GM Brad Holmes has remained in contact with Smith’s camp about a potential reunion, per Detroitfootball.net’s Justin Rogers. Holmes said the veteran pass rusher’s price will need to come down before a reunion becomes a strong possibility.

“We couldn’t afford it is the bottom line. You know? That was my communication with him and he understood that,” Holmes said. “... Look, he played some good snaps for us and he made plays for us when we acquired him, so we would have loved to be able to keep him. We just weren’t able to.”

The Lions included a 2025 fifth-rounder and a 2026 sixth in a pick-swap deal for Smith at the deadline last year; the terms were similar to the Vikings-Browns trade from 2023. Smith finished with a nine-sack 2024; he registered four to go with 10 QB hits as a Lion. Altogether, Smith was more productive last season than he was in 2023. He also has stayed healthy since a back injury wiped out most of his 2021 season, having missed just two games over the past three years. That said, Smith will turn 33 just before Week 1. And the Lions have a market-setting Hutchinson payment on their radar.

“We had so many of these young players that have been on rookie deals, and we’ve been enjoying the impact that they’ve all been bringing,” Holmes said. “But now, a bill is coming. What you spend this year is going to impact next year. It even impacts 2027. So, that’s the discipline that we have to adhere to.”

In addition to hopeful paydays for Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta will become extension-eligible in 2026. The 2024 deals for Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jared Goff and Taylor Decker will produce higher cap numbers down the road as well. These matters may not interfere much with another Smith contract, due to the nomadic EDGE being close to year-to-year status at this point, but Holmes is certainly cognizant of his team’s evolving financial model.

Detroit brought back Marcus Davenport despite back-to-back seasons marred by major injuries. Davenport is on a one-year, $2.5MM deal. Smith, who has three double-digit sack seasons on his resume, will be aiming higher. But the 10-year vet returning on a lower-cost deal will be a storyline to monitor in Detroit this offseason. How the Lions fare in the draft, as a low-cost Hutchinson complementary rusher will be vital once the ace pass rusher is on a $40MM-plus-AAV extension, will also play a central role in determining if the team still needs Smith for 2025.

NFC North Notes: Watson, Lions, Vikings

April 4th, 2025 at 4:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

An ill-timed ACL tear could prove costly for Christian Watson. Not only is the Packers wide receiver entering a contract year, his injury occurring in January has been expected to keep him off the field into next season. A tentative timetable has emerged, with The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman pointing to a likelihood of at least a half-season absence taking place. Brian Gutekunst offered support for a potential return earlier but did not provide specifics, and the Packers are generally cautious with injury returns. Gutekunst had already confirmed Watson would miss time in 2025, which represents a key window for the injury-prone North Dakota State alum to impress ahead of a potential free agency run. His history of hamstring injuries preceding this ACL tear could well lead to a “prove it” deal taking place come 2026.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • The Lions lost Kevin Zeitler to the Titans, and GM Brad Holmes said (via Detroit Football’s Justin Rogers) a veteran guard addition and/or a rookie move is still in play. Graham Glasgow is set as a starter, while 2024 sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany appears the top internal option — barring a veteran addition or early-round draft choice. Holmes called Mahogany’s 2024 work (75 offensive snaps, one start) encourating.
  • The Eagles stood down on Isaiah Rodgers, after aiming to re-sign their post-suspension flier, after the Vikings made him a two-year, $11.1MM deal that came with $7.99MM guaranteed. Rodgers will play a regular role defensively, as Kevin O’Connell referred to the 2024 Philly rotational CB as a player ticketed for an every-down role. This would point to Rodgers having a clear runway to earn the starting job opposite re-signed CB Byron Murphy. When Murphy shifts into the slot, Jeff Okudah would be set to come off the bench and man a perimeter post, O’Connell added (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling).
  • Minnesota lost Camryn Bynum to Indianapolis but reached an agreement to retain Harrison Smith for a 14th season, after the latter had considered retirement. Smith (192 career games) can move into third place for Vikings defender longevity with nine more games played; he is back on a one-year, $10.25MM deal that (per Goessling) comes with $8MM fully guaranteed. There are $750K in playing-time incentives, per Goessling, who adds Smith can collect additional $500K bonuses by reaching the four-INT and three-sack benchmarks. A $1MM bump would come if Smith lands a first-team All-Pro nod; that number drops to $500K for a second-team accolade. Smith, 36, last earned All-Pro honors in 2018. The Vikings are again using void years, meaning a Smith departure in 2026 would bring a $12MM dead money hit.
  • Jonathan Allen‘s three-year, $51MM Minnesota deal includes snap- and sack-based incentives. The longtime Washington DT can earn $3MM if he plays 70% of Minnesota’s defensive snaps; that tiered structure begins with a $500K payout by reaching 50% usage. Allen played between 68-82% of Washington’s snaps from 2018-23 but came in at 59% during an injury-altered 2024. The soon-to-be 30-year-old lineman can earn $500K with five sacks, another $1MM with seven and another $1.5MM with 10, Goessling tweets.
  • While Allen, Will Fries (tibia fracture) and Javon Hargrave (triceps tear) are expected to be ready for Vikes camp, O’Connell stopped short of guaranteeing Rondale Moore will be. Moore suffered an unspecified knee injury during Falcons camp last year, and O’Connell said he wants to see how the $2MM investment looks in his first weeks with the team before making a determination on camp.
  • Jordan Addison‘s DUI case continues. The Vikings wideout took part in a pretrial hearing last month, and ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert indicates a pretrial conference is set for April 10. This matter, stemming from an August 2024 arrest, puts the former first-round pick in play to serve a 2025 suspension.
  • Lastly, the Vikes are hiring former QB Charlie Frye as a defensive assistant. This interesting role, for a 23-start QB, comes after a two-year run as Florida Atlantic’s OC. Frye, 43, was also the Dolphins’ QBs coach in 2021 under current Vikings DC Brian Flores. That represents the ex-Browns starter’s only previous NFL coaching work.

Lions Want To Extend Aidan Hutchinson, Kerby Joseph

April 3rd, 2025 at 1:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Lions hit on two defensive playmakers in the 2022 draft, selecting edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall pick and safety Kerby Joseph in the third round.

Both players are extension-eligible as they enter the fourth year of their rookie contracts, and Detroit is determined to lock them down for the long-term. Neither will be cheap.

Hutchinson racked up 7.5 sacks in his first five games last season before suffering a brutal leg injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. He was on pace to break the NFL’s single-season sack record and an early frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year before he went down. Hutchinson was trying to return to the field if the Lions made the Super Bowl, but their divisional round loss to the Commanders ended any chance of a comeback last season. He is expected to participate in offseason workouts in the next few months, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Barring any setbacks, Hutchinson should ready for Week 1 of the 2025 season.

Despite the injury, Hutchinson’s value has only gone up in recent months with Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett signing lucrative extensions. Garrett reached $40MM per year on his deal, which could be surpassed by Micah Parsons‘ extension with the Cowboys.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes acknowledged the exploding market for premier edge rushers during league meetings in Florida.

“We had it in that range, kind of already, when we do our future planning and budgeting,” he said (via Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network). “But then obviously, when it goes up, it just goes up, and that’s just what you gotta prepare for. I don’t know what it’ll end up being. That’s the difficult part about our job, but we work really hard in terms of the prediction forecasting of that market. He’s just one of many that we’ve had to budget.”

Hutchinson is already one of the league’s premier pass rushers at just 24 years old. He could push for the highest APY of any non-quarterback, in which case the Lions would be wise to get the deal done quickly. Hutchinson has a $11.4MM cap hit in 2025 with a $20.9MM fifth-year option that the team is expected to pick up, per OverTheCap. Even if Hutchinson eclipses $40MM per year on his extension, his contract will grow more affordable with time due to increases in the salary cap and the edge rusher market.

Joseph will similarly be looking to take advantage of a strong 2024 and a rising safety market. He led the NFL with nine interceptions last season and 17 since 2022. Antoine Winfield reset the safety market last offseason with a $21.025MM APY, but Joseph may also consider a massive increase in cornerback pay as he negotiates his extension.

“He’s a player that we want to keep and, you know, we’ve let that be known,” said Holmes of Joseph, per Rogers. “He’s a fit for us, for our team. He’s a really good player, but in terms of the timing, you know, we’ll just kind of see where it goes.”

Joseph owed a $3.6MM salary in 2025 after reaching the second level of the NFL’s Proven Performance Escalator, per OverTheCap. An extension could reduce his 2025 cap hit by $2.04MM.

Lions Likely To Exercise WR Jameson Williams’ Fifth-Year Option

March 31st, 2025 at 4:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jameson Williams‘ time with the Lions has seen a number of ups and downs to date. A decision will need to made regarding his 2026 fifth-year option this spring, and the team is leaning toward picking it up.

“Look, it’s heading that way that we are most likely gonna be doing that,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said Monday at the league meetings (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard). “He was a tremendous player for us last year.”

Indeed, Williams set new career highs across the board in 2024. The 24-year-old posted seven touchdowns on 58 receptions, averaging a strong 17.3 yards per catch average. He will be counted on to remain one of the league’s top vertical threats for the next two seasons provided his option is picked up.

Williams was limited to six games during his rookie season as he rehabbed an ACL tear. The Alabama product was then suspended for the beginning of the 2023 campaign, and he made only 12 appearances that year. Given his lack of playing time, Williams thus qualifies for the basic (that is, least lucrative) tier with respect to option compensation. He will be in line for $15.49MM in 2026 presuming the Lions choose to keep him in place for that season.

Detroit traded up in the first round of the 2022 draft to select Williams, and as such he entered the league with high expectations. He delivered to a large extent this past campaign, but his gambling and PED suspensions have represented off-the-field obstacles. The same looked to be true at one point regarding the October gun incident Williams was involved in, but he will not faces charges or a suspension as a result of it.

Detroit already has Amon-Ra St. Brown attached to a deal averaging just over $30MM per season, and the two-time All-Pro is set to remain the focal point of the team’s passing attack moving forward. The Lions’ future extension plans will include the likes of edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and safety Kerby Joseph, Holmes noted. For that reason, a push for a long-term Williams commitment would come as a surprise at this point. For at least the 2026 campaign, though, he will likely be in the fold.

DL John Cominsky Retires

March 31st, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Cominsky was unavailable due to injury throughout the 2024 campaign, and he will not be back on the field in the future. The veteran defensive lineman announced his retirement on Monday.

“After six years in the NFL, I am officially medically retiring,” Cominsky’s announcement reads in part. “I am proud of the career I had, but have accumulated a combination of injuries that are overwhelming my desire to continue playing…. I walk away with my family in mind and therefore, have found peace in this difficult decision.”

The 29-year-old began his career with the Falcons, playing with them from 2019-21. Cominsky made 27 appearances over that span, but he only registered one start and was never able to manage a full campaign. Despite having one season left on his rookie deal, the former fourth-rounder was waived in the spring of 2022.

Considerable interest was shown on the waiver wire, and the Lions wound up acquiring him. Cominsky took on a much larger workload during his debut campaign in the Motor City, logging eight starts and a 60% snap share. Having established himself as a first-team contributor, the Charleston product re-signed with the Lions on a two-year, $8.5MM pact that offseason. Cominsky made a career-high 16 appearances in 2023, notching a new personal high with 36 tackles and adding a pair of sacks (after recording four the previous season).

Expectations were high as a result ahead of this past campaign. A summer MCL tear kept Cominsky sidelined, however, and by December it was clear he was one of many Lions defenders who were not seen as a candidate to return later in the campaign. Now, Detroit will move forward knowing Cominsky will not be a 2025 contributor along the D-line.

A veteran of 60 combined regular and postseason games, Cominsky will turn his attention to his post-playing days. He exists the NFL with just over $10MM in career earnings.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/28/25

March 28th, 2025 at 7:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Welch has played 72 games in the NFL, with much of his tenure taking place with the Ravens. The 26-year-old saw time with Baltimore and Denver last season, but in 2023 he played for the Packers. This reunion will give Green Bay depth at the second level of the defense along with a familiar face on special teams.

Lions Sign Avonte Maddox

March 21st, 2025 at 1:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Avonte Maddox‘s time with the Eagles has come to an end. The veteran defensive back has agreed to a one-year deal with the Lions, his agent announced on Friday.

Maddox joined the Eagles in 2018, and he quickly emerged as a key member of their secondary. The former fourth-rounder handled a snap share between 65% and 75% in each of his first five Philadelphia campaigns. Things took a turn for the worse during the 2023 season, however.

A torn pectoral muscle limited Maddox to just four games that year. Despite one season remaining on his contract, the Eagles released him in cost-shedding move last March as a result. Team and player wound up reuniting, though, and that pact allowed the Pitt alum to play one more campaign as an Eagle. Maddox played in every game for Philadelphia en route to the team’s Super Bowl victory.

That included only three starts on defense, however, and Maddox’s 33% snap share represented by far the lowest mark of his career. Second-round rookie Cooper DeJean took over starting duties in the slot midway through the campaign, a move which left Maddox to shift his attention more to special teams duties. Fellow standout rookie Quinyon Mitchell will be a mainstay along the perimeter for years to come, although Darius Slay‘s release and subsequent departure has created a first-team vacancy. Maddox’s absence will also be felt in the secondary next year.

The Lions lost Carlton Davis on the open market but brought in D.J. Reed as a starting replacement. The team also has recent draftees Terrion Arnold and Brian Branch in place as long-term pieces in the secondary. Maddox has seen some time at safety in his career, but with Branch and Kerby Joseph set to continue starting there, his best path to playing time in Detroit will likely be as a slot corner.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/25

March 20th, 2025 at 6:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Pittsburgh Steelers

Lions To Sign CB Rock Ya-Sin

March 20th, 2025 at 1:47pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Lions are signing cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Ya-Sin spent the 2024 season with the 49ers, appearing in 13 games with a majority of his snaps on special teams. He was targeted three times on defense, allowing a three-yard touchdown and breaking up the other two passes. He will provide experience and depth to a Lions defense that already added D.J. Reed earlier this month.

Ya-Sin is a six-year veteran who began his career as a 2019 second-rounder selected by the Colts. He started 29 games over his first three seasons before being traded to the Raiders for Yannick Ngakoue in 2022.

Ya-Sin started nine games in silver and black before landing on injured reserve. He then signed a one-year, $4MM deal with the Ravens in 2023 and played a rotational role on defense and special teams.

The veteran signings will round out a Detroit secondary that added cornerbacks with their first two picks in the 2024 draft. First-rounder Terrion Arnold started 15 games, while second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw mostly played special teams before an injury in November forced him onto the IR.

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