How Lions' Rookie Class Impacts 2023 Salary Cap

Updated Detroit Lions salary-cap situation, factoring in upcoming rookie deals.

John Maakaron | May 5, 2023

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Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions will begin signing their rookie class to contracts in the upcoming weeks.

Luckily, the rookie pay scale is largely pre-determined by draft position.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to sign a four-year contract that will be worth $17,845,135, with a signing bonus of $9,978,280.

All first-round deals provide teams a fifth-year option to retain their draft selection for an additional season.

According to Spotrac, the eight draft picks will cost the Lions $12,714,294.

Recall, from the start of the new league year until the first week of the regular season, only the top 51 contracts count against a team's salary cap. So, it is currently expected that the salary-cap costs of Detroit's picks will tally $11,214,294.

Heading into rookie minicamp, Detroit has approximately $13.5 million in cap space available.

Estimated 2023 rookie cap hits

RB Jahmyr Gibbs -- $3,244,569
LB Jack Campbell -- $2,676,728
TE Sam LaPorta -- $1,721,089
DB Brian Branch -- $1,458,496
QB Hendon Hooker -- $1,039,822
DT Brodric Martin -- $964,379
OL Colby Sorsdal -- $830,021 (Top 51 = $80,021)
WR Antoine Green -- $779,190 (Top 51 = $29,190)

Lions' current salary-cap situation (without rookie deals)

Adjusted NFL salary cap -- $227,209,702
Active Lions contracts -- $194,130,648
Current dead cap -- $19,655,139
2022 rollover -- $2,223,156
Total (all) -- $213,785,787
Total (top 51 contracts) -- $200,635,787
Estimated cap space (all) -- $13,423,915
Estimated cap space available (top 51) -- $26,573,915

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Published May 5, 2023

JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!