By Blessing 
Breaking Down How the Detroit Lions Are Allocating Their 2025 Offensive Cap Space
As free agency begins to wind down, now’s a great time to take a step back and evaluate how the Detroit Lions have put together their roster heading into the 2025 season. One way to assess their strategy is by looking at the current depth chart and the players under contract. If you’re interested in that side of things, Erik Schlitt has put together a solid 2025 contract tracker here.
But another important angle to examine is how the Lions are using their salary cap resources. In this two-part series, we’ll be diving into Over The Cap’s positional spending data to get a better sense of how Detroit stacks up against the rest of the league. Today, we’ll begin with the offense.
Offensive Spending: $148.7 Million — 7th in the NFL
No real shock here — the Lions are pouring significant resources into their offense, ranking seventh league-wide in offensive spending. That’s what you’d expect when you have a cornerstone quarterback, multiple Pro Bowl-caliber skill players, and one of the most dominant offensive lines in football.
The investment has certainly paid off. Over the last three seasons, Detroit has fielded a top-five scoring offense, and except for 2024, they’ve consistently ranked among the top seven in offensive spending.
Let’s take a closer look at where all that money is going.
Quarterbacks: $35.3 Million — 13th
At quarterback, the Lions are getting decent value this year. Jared Goff carries a cap hit of $32.6 million, placing him 12th among NFL quarterbacks. The team is also saving a bit by keeping backup salaries minimal — Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen are costing the team around $2.8 million combined.
But things will change dramatically next season. Goff is slated to have a $69.9 million cap hit in 2026, the fifth-highest in the league. That number likely won’t stand, though — his contract is expected to be restructured, which could trim close to $40 million off that future figure.
Running Backs: $14.2 Million — 6th
Note: Craig Reynolds’ contract is not yet finalized.
The Lions aren’t shy about spending on their running backs either. David Montgomery’s cap hit sits at $8.3 million, while Jahmyr Gibbs comes in at $4.9 million — both ranking among the top 25 cap hits for running backs in 2025.
Those numbers will climb in 2026. Montgomery’s deal stays steady at around $8.4 million, but Gibbs’ cap hit will bump up to $5.7 million. If Detroit decides to extend Gibbs, that could alter things slightly — though any extension is more likely to increase his current cap figure than lower it.
As things stand, the team is on track to have the fourth-highest spending at the position next year.
Wide Receivers: $31.5 Million — 10th
At receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown is unsurprisingly leading the pack, though his 2025 cap hit of $13.9 million only ranks 16th among NFL wideouts. What’s boosting Detroit into the top 10 spending range is the supporting cast. Kalif Raymond carries a $6.4 million hit, and Jameson Williams is close behind at $5.6 million.
That total is expected to stay roughly the same in 2026, even as St. Brown’s cap number skyrockets to $33.1 million — fifth highest among all wide receivers. Of course, Detroit might need to restructure his deal, which seems likely. They’ll also need to replace Raymond, decide on Williams’ fifth-year option (worth $15.5 million), and possibly bring in another WR-X to round out the group.
Tight Ends: $5.2 Million — 31st
Note: Shane Zylstra’s contract is still pending.
Here’s where Detroit is really saving. When the team opted to trade T.J. Hockenson rather than shell out a big contract, it turned out to be one of the smartest cap decisions under GM Brad Holmes. Hockenson now costs the Vikings $16.6 million, while the Lions are paying a fraction of that for the entire tight end room.
Of course, it helps that Detroit found a stud in Sam LaPorta, who’s playing at a Pro Bowl level on a rookie deal. Down the line, the Lions will need to pay him — but for now, this group is providing serious bang for the buck.
Offensive Line: $61.4 Million — 7th
Note: Dan Skipper’s deal is pending.
Considering the high-end talent along Detroit’s offensive front, it’s a bit surprising they’re only seventh in OL spending. Taylor Decker leads all left tackles with a $23.1 million cap hit, Frank Ragnow is second among centers at $14.1 million, and Penei Sewell’s $9.5 million ranks 14th at right tackle. Even Graham Glasgow is on the higher end among guards at $7.4 million.
The relative bargain is coming from Christian Mahogany, Detroit’s projected starting guard whose $994,597 cap hit doesn’t even crack the top 51 contracts — meaning it doesn’t currently count against the team’s cap.
That will change in 2026. Sewell’s deal jumps to $28 million, pushing Detroit’s line spending to third overall. While restructuring Sewell’s contract (potentially saving $14 million) or moving on from Decker (saving around $11 million) are options, the team might also opt to draft another cost-effective starter.