Former Lions OL Believes Jahmyr Gibbs Could Hold Out

The Detroit Lions have several financial decisions to make heading into the 2026 NFL season.

Their first four picks of the 2023 NFL Draft have all been tremendous hits, which has caused the team to evaluate long-term extensions as those players have become eligible for new deals.

Detroit has already extended one of their first-round picks of that group, as linebacker Jack Campbell inked a four-year extension. The other first-rounder, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, remains without a deal with training camp quickly approaching.

A new report from Lions flagship radio and former offensive lineman turned radio host Jon Jansen suggested that if Gibbs does not have a new contract prior to training camp, he may not be participating when the team begins practices.

"There is a chance that Jahmyr Gibbs is looking at running back deals, the contracts that the Lions have handed out, when they've handed them out, and says, 'I'm next in line, and if I don't get my contract before camp, I may be a hold-in, or a hold-out,'" Jansen said. "However you want to talk about not practicing, until he gets a new deal."

In NFL terms, a hold-in refers to a player who is present at the facility but not participating in practice. Meanwhile, a hold-out is a player who is neither participating in practice nor at the facility.

Gibbs' current contract

Gibbs' contract situation is somewhat unique for this scenario, as he has two seasons remaining of team control after the team picked up his fifth-year option for the 2027 campaign.

He's one of the most dynamic talents in the NFL, with back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards. Reports across the league indicate that Gibbs could fetch an extension with top of the position market money, near $20 million a year.

The Lions traded David Montgomery, Gibbs' counterpart in the backfield, this offseason. This move was a vote of confidence in Gibbs as the top running back, and both Jansen and co-host Jim Costa believe the team could be waiting to see how he holds up after a season of being the foremost option.

"I understand where he's coming from, I also understand where the Lions are coming from in regards to possibly waiting it out, see what he looks like after a year of being the bell-cow," Jansen said. "But they've made that comment. They got rid of David Montgomery. They need him now, more than ever, for the success of this season.

"I have heard it from sources close to the team, where I don't think anybody would be surprised if he missed a couple of days," Jansen later stated.

What happens if he misses training camp?

Gibbs has been linked with fellow 2023 first-round running back Bijan Robinson due to the fact that both are extension-eligible and expected to become among the highest-paid running backs in the league.

This could also be a factor in the delay on getting a deal done, as both players could be waiting for the other to sign first and hence earn a bigger contract.

There's also the fact that the Lions under general manager Brad Holmes have made a habit of making extensions early. Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kerby Joseph all signed extensions in April of their respective years.

However, the Lions have also shown a willingness to get deals done during the regular season. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson both signed their respective extensions in October, McNeill in 2024 and Hutchinson in 2025.

The hosts debated the pitfalls and advantages if Gibbs were to sit out training camp. Missing practices would hurt the offense's development under new coordinator Drew Petzing, but would also avoid accumulating unnecessary hits throughout practices and the preseason before Week

"If they drew the line in the sand of, 'Hey, we're not paying him this year,' I think that would be wise. See how he holds up," Costa said. "If Jahmyr's response is, 'Well, I'm not gonna take any unnecessary risks in the preseason,' to that I say, 'Cool. I'm on the same side as you are.' I don't want (Gibbs) taking unnecessary bumps and bruises in the preseason. Bubble wrap him and have him ready for the Saints."

Should he miss time in training camp, newly signed running back Isiah Pacheco would likely assume the top duties with an extended opportunity for Sione Vaki as the backup in his third NFL season.

Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was asked about Gibbs' contract situation during his interview on NFL Network's 'The Insiders.'

He noted that Gibbs didn't seem to be too concerned about the contract situation, as evidenced by the fact that he participated in the team's voluntary workouts and OTAs throughout the spring.

“I think he’s doing great. Jahmyr’s a guy that’s not too focused on that. He’s worried about having fun on Sundays, going out there and putting in the work with us during training camp, OTAs," St. Brown said. "He didn’t miss any OTAs, he was there all OTAs with us. He just loves ball. He’s not worried about that stuff, he’s worried about how he can be best for the team, and he’s done a great job of doing that. I’m sure everything is gonna be worked out perfectly fine for him and his situation, so I know he’s not worried about that type of stuff.”

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