The Detroit Lions' defense has punched above its weight all season, despite getting decimated by injuries, especially in the defensive backfield. How the defensive unit would fare under new coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was a big question, but the Lions have mostly quelled these concerns in the first 11 weeks of the season.
One of the main reasons is the pass rush rotation playing above expectations. A group that was considered a weakness before the season has been a strength so far. The front office was criticized heavily for not bringing in upgrades to the defensive end rotation. Fortunately, an under-the-radar veteran has come up big when the Lions needed him the most. Al-Quadin Muhammad's breakout campaign has been one of the most important storylines for the Lions so far.
Al-Quadin Muhammad's Price Went Up After Alex Wright Extension
With his breakout campaign, however, Muhammad may have played himself out of Detroit's price range. This was made more evident by Thursday's news elsewhere in the league. Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot reported that Cleveland was signing defensive end Alex Wright to a three-year, $33 million extension. This not only removes a capable free agent pass rusher off the market, but also makes it hard for the Lions to retain Muhammad.
Wright is a younger pass rusher with upside, but he has availability concerns after missing almost all of last season with a triceps injury. He has also missed a game this season, and has a much more limited track record as a quality pass rusher. He has three sacks, nine tackles for loss, and three QB hits in nine games so far this season.
Muhammad, on the other hand, is in the midst of his most productive campaign. He has six sacks, 12 QB hits, and four tackles for loss, and has received a 74.1 defensive grade and 74.2 pass rush grade on Pro Football Focus. Once his contract expires at the end of the season, he will be one of the more sought-after free agent pass rushers on the market, even as a 31-year-old.
Quality pass rushers cost a ton in the NFL. Teams tend to overpay for them in the open market because proven pass rushers don't become available all that often. The fact that Wright got an eight-figure salary in his extension suggests that there will be teams looking to pay Muhammad that type of contract in the offseason.
Spotrac puts Muhammad's market value for average annual salary at $8.3 million. There are other free agent pass rushers like Trey Hendrickson, Joey Bosa, Arnold Ebiketie, and A.J. Epenesa, who will likely get more guaranteed money on the market. Besides those names, however, Muhammad will be targeted heavily, driving his price to a range that the Lions may not be very comfortable with.
As good as it has been watching the veteran defender have a breakout season this late into his career, his time in Detroit may come to an end as a direct result of the NFL's latest extension.
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