How Lions Can Create Massive Cap Space in 2026

Lions could add significant cap space in 2026 with restructures, cuts.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14). | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions currently have less than $5 million in cap space, and are $10 million over the cap in effective cap space, for the 2026 season.

This cap situation has been created by a number of significant contract extensions the team has doled out to key players within the organization, and as a result some adjustments will need to be made if they want to be active spenders in free agency this year.

Detroit can create this space through a couple of avenues, as general manager Brad Holmes has some decisions to make. Utilizing OverTheCap's salary cap calculator, Lions OnSI has put together a series of moves that the organization could make to create enough space to be active in free agency.

Restructures

QB Jared Goff

Goff currently is set to make $55 million in base salary, with another $14.6 million in prorated bonus to bring his total cap number to $69.6 million for the 2026 season. The Lions could convert some of that salary to bonus money, while also diverting some of it into a void year at the end of his contract.

Currently, Goff has a void year built into his contract for 2029, which will be the season after his contract expires. The Lions can create some serious cap space by bringing Goff's base salary down, and splitting the deductions between adding bonus money in 2026 and adding money to his void year in 2029.

By transferring his base salary down to $1.3 million, the Lions could split bonus money between 2026 ($28,025,000) and 2029 ($13,425,000) to create $40.275 million in cap space for the upcoming offseason.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown is currently tabbed with a cap number of $33.11 million for 2026, with $27.5 million in base salary and $5.610 million in prorated and non-prorated bonuses. There are some liberties Detroit could take in restructuring his contract, adding onto a void year in 2029.

The danger with restructuring into void years is that it could create a salary cap problem further down the line, with more extensions potentially to be handed out this offseason with players such as Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta.

However, St. Brown could have a modest cap number of just over $12 million in his void year of 2029 if the Lions were to restructure his deal by OverTheCap's methods, and Detroit could create over $21 million in cap space this year by converting part of his salary to a bonus in 2026 and the other part to his void year.

CB D.J. Reed

The Lions signed Reed to a three-year, $48 million contract this past offseason, and his season was derailed by injuries after a solid start to the year. He struggled in his return after a lengthy absence, but there's optimism that he will be able to get back on track in 2026.

Detroit could lessen his base salary number, which is currently $14.49 million, to $1.3 million and divert the remaining salary between a bonus in 2026 and tacking on money in 2030 to one of his void years. In doing so, the Lions would create $10,552,000 in cap space for 2026.

Cap casualty cuts

OL Graham Glasgow

Glasgow has not produced at an elite level over the past two seasons, with some dysfunction on the offensive line as a whole in 2025 being a part of the team's struggles. The veteran has one year remaining on a three-year extension he signed, and the Lions do have an out this year.

As a post-June 1 cut, the Lions could create $7 million in cap space while taking on a dead money hit of $1,437,500 for the 2026 season. Detroit could elect to try Tate Ratledge at center after he played the position plenty in training camp, meaning Glasgow could be expendable as the team tries to solve the problems it had this year up front.

TE Brock Wright

Wright emerged as a valuable second option behind Sam LaPorta, and his absence and the team's corresponding struggles with production have indicated his value. However, entering the last year of his contract there is a relatively low amount of dead money that the team would take on by parting ways.

If the Lions designated Wright as a post-June 1 cut, they would incur $709,000 while freeing up $4,145,000. As a result, the Lions could elect to part ways with Wright and draft a tight end to pair with LaPorta for 2026 and beyond.

OT Taylor Decker

Decker was a first-round pick of the team in 2016 and has been a vital part of the team's ascent, so it's highly unlikely the team would elect to cut him. However, injuries have become a concern as he's dealt with a nagging shoulder injury throughout the year, and he has voiced that it's uncertain whether or not he will return in 2026.

The veteran does have two years left on a three-year extension signed prior to the 2024 season, and ideally he could give the team one more year to help develop a potential replacement to play opposite of Penei Sewell.

Yet, if Decker decides to hang up the cleats in the offseason or the injury situation becomes too dire, the Lions could generate $18.2 million in space while taking on $3,148,000 in dead money by designating him as a post-June 1 cut.