Justin Rogers of MLive.com takes a look at the Lions current cap situation and offers up a few ways for them to free up some addition space as they head into the free agency.
Lions WR Nate Burleson will count $7.5 million against the team’s 2014 salary cap, and although he has said that he is open to reworking his deal in order to remain with the team, Detroit would save about $5.5 million by releasing him, according to Rogers.
Other option for the Lions would be free up another $5.5 million by releasing S Louis Delmas who is in the final year of his two-year, $7.715 million contract he signed last year.
Rogers also lists: DE Jason Jones ($2 million), G Leroy Harris ($1.85 million) and OT Corey Hilliard ($1.65 million) as potential roster cuts in the coming weeks.
As things stand right now, the Lions are projected to be over the cap by $5.3 million, according to Overthecap.com, so moves will clearly need to be made.
Probably the easiest way for Detroit to create a bunch of cap space would be to sign DT Ndamukong Suh to a long-term extension as he has a ridiculous cap figure of $22.4 million for 2014. They could also rework WR Calvin Johnson‘s contract as well.
Until their cap issues are addressed, it’s going to be hard to offer up speculative options in regards to free agency.
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