Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions.
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The Detroit Lions have a salary cap issue going into the 2026-27 season, and quarterback Jared Goff is in for a pay hike.
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions are in the offseason, but activity is still high in the NFL, between the Combine and upcoming NFL draft, taking place April 23 through 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. However, heading into the 2026-27 season, the Lions have a cap space problem.
It could be worse, but it could also be better. The Detroit Lions closed out the 2025 NFL season more than $4 million under the salary cap, according to NFL research, and now, salary cap for 2026 has gone up by roughly $22 million per team. But, the Lions are in a bit of a pickle due to the paydays for high-profile players.
On Friday, Feb. 27, the NFL announced that they’ll raise the salary cap from $279.2 million in 2025 to $301.2 million in 2026. While that will help the Lions pay their top players, that’s not enough funding to get Detroit under the cap.
According to research from Over the Cap, the Lions are $12.2 million over the salary cap. That puts them at No. 4 in the league, with the Dallas Cowboys being No. 1 at $56.1 million over the cap, Minnesota Vikings at No. 2 at $45.5 million and Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 3 with $15.9 million. So, the Detroit Lions have to take $12.2 million or more off their payroll by the deadline at 4 p.m. ET March 11.
Detroit Lions Quarterback Jared Goff Gets Major Salary Hike in 2026
Goff is a fantastic quarterback, and he deserves to be paid. But, he has, by far, the biggest salary jump in 2026, and it may be difficult on the team. According to research from Spotrac, Goff’s base salary goes from $18 million to $55 million in 2026. He’s worth it, but the Detroit Lions need to free up some cash.
Other big-named players getting paid include edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who’s having his guaranteed money rise from $5.5 million in 2025 to $29.6 million in 2026, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose salary will go from $8.3 million in 2025 to $27.5 million in 2026. One more Lions player getting a larger payday is offensive tackle Penei Sewell, who’s going from a $1.5 million base salary in 2025 to $19.9 million in 2026.
So, how can the Detroit Lions get under the cap with all these star players cashing in?
What’s the Solution to Get the Detroit Lions Under the Cap?
The solution to get the Detroit Lions under cap is simple: restructure contracts. This has to happen.
“The more likely way the Lions save money before March is by restructuring current contracts,” Christian Romo of the Detroit Free Press notes in a Saturday, February 28 feature.
“The simplest way this can be done is by converting some base salary into a signing bonus, which allows the player to still get paid while the team’s cap hit is delayed for later years,” he adds in the piece. “It’s a win-win for the team and player, as long as the player is willing to get paid in a different way.”
Another way to go about getting under the cap is through player retirements, but it’s far more likely that they’ll go the former route. One more way is “by trading players for salary relief,” according to Romo, “but the most expensive players on the Lions roster are also arguably the most essential for the team’s Super Bowl aspirations in 2026.”