Lions' Updated Cap Space Post-Jeff Okudah Trade

Detroit Lions added over $5 million in cap space, following trade of Jeff Okudah.

John Maakaron | Apr 12, 2023

In this story:

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions were able to add approximately $5.2 million in additional cap space by trading cornerback Jeff Okudah to the Atlanta Falcons.

It was not expected that Okudah would have had his fifth-year option picked up, due to his schematic fit not exactly being a match with Detroit's current regime.

As a result, the team decided Tuesday to make the decision to end his tenure in Motown.

Trading the former No. 3 overall pick added $5,486,095 in dead-cap monies, bringing the total amount of dead money in 2023 to $15,742,314.

The Falcons will take on Okudah's $5.2 million in salary cap, and Detroit is no longer on the hook for the $10.3 million that would have been applied to the 2023 cap.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes was likely seeking to add more cushion, in order to have funds available for the draft, practice-squad transactions, in-season bonuses and cap space needed for a rainy day.

Following the trade, the team has $26,989,946 in salary-cap space.

Lions' current salary-cap situation

Adjusted NFL salary cap -- $227,209,702
Active Lions contracts -- $199,733,219
Current dead cap -- $15,736,537
2022 rollover -- $2,223,156
Total (all) -- $215,469,756
Total (top 51 contracts) -- $200,219,756
Estimated cap space (all) -- $11,739,946
Estimated cap space available (top 51) -- $26,989,946

Join the AllLions Community

Become a premium AllLions member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and gets you a FREE subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER

Published Apr 12, 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!