Now that the Detroit Lions 2023 season is over, we’re going to change tack and start looking more closely at the 2024 offseason.
This section, which is always changing, will centre on the Lions’ roster as it approaches free agency and the NFL Draft. Fans will get a summary of the players on the roster, injured reserve, or practice squad at the end of the season from this position group-organized page.
An end-of-season depth chart for the position, a list of the roles the players occupied, the specifics of the 2024 contracts that the players currently signed with the Lions have, and a few essential terms that can help readers better understand each player’s circumstances are all included in each section.
Like the majority of starting NFL quarterbacks, Jared Goff is in the final year of his contract and has started contract negotiations with the Lions. It is anticipated that this offseason will see the completion of a new deal. The asterisk in the guarantees column denotes a potential amendment. In Goff’s case, if he remains on the roster by March 15, an additional $5 million of his deal (raising the total to $10 million) will become guaranteed; the 2024 cap impact remains unchanged in this scenario.
The only other quarterback currently under contract is Hendon Hooker, and with a rookie contract in place, the Lions seem to be in a very good position with an
Teddy Bridgewater, the backup in 2023, is anticipated to retire this offseason; nevertheless, because of a year that was vacant in his contract, he will still count $500,000 against the cap in 2024. In case you’re not aware, a team uses voided years to transfer costs into a future year and clear up salary cap room in the current one. This practice is becoming more widespread in the always changing NFL contract landscape.
Due to an ACL injury, Sudfeld had to spend the season on injured reserve. However, his contract is about to expire, and he will most likely be available as an unrestricted free agency.
Blough’s contract is due to expire seven days after the Lions’ final game because he spent the entire season on the practice squad. He will thereafter be free to roam the streets.
The Lions are in a strong position to keep their running backs room because their top two backs are under contract and their top two reserves are listed as exclusive rights free agents (meaning they’ll probably return as well).
While Jefferson and Funk are expected to participate in camp, Ibrahim’s health is still somewhat of a mystery and may have played a role in his non-signing of a futures contract.
Although Cabinda is an excellent special teams player, the Lions have reduced his offensive role. It is reasonable to wonder if this is a change in direction for the team, or if he simply wants to explore options outside of Detroit. His game is highly coveted by coaches, thus a comeback is also a very real possibility.
