Some members of the Detroit Lions are looking well beyond Week 1.
On Sept. 12, Lions brass restructured the contracts of two of their star offensive players: wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell, according to Spotrac.
The conversion of their base salaries into signing bonuses frees up cap space for the Lions in the immediate, pushing their available cap number to roughly $38 million entering Week 1. That number is good for the second-most cap space in the NFL entering Week 1, sitting behind the San Francisco 49ers.
It's a pair of eyebrow-raising moves, but some that make sense given the Lions' current cap and contract situation, including a pair of their own. Here's what to know:
Why the Lions restructred contracts
Contract restructurings are a common part
of NFL bookkeeping. Converting a player's base salary into a signing bonus frees up cap space, allowing a team some breathing room to add more money to their cap situation.
There are a few reasons why the Lions may have decided to do it ahead of Week 1.
Contract extensions
The Lions have a few players expected to hit free agency come 2027, including tight end Sam LaPorta and safety Brian Branch. It's a possibility that the newly found cap space could be allocated to new contracts keep the two difference-makers in Lions uniforms. Lions GM Brad Holmes has expressed interest in wanting to keep both around this offseason, so talks may have at least happened with both players.
The only and minor snag: Both LaPorta and Branch are rehabbing from injuries as the season gets underway. Branch (PUP list) will miss at minimum the first four games of the season as he recovers from a torn Achilles, while LaPorta is expected to play Week 1 after suffering a hip injury during the preseason. Those injuries may not preclude the Lions' front office from extension talks, but they may want to see both players back in the mix before handing out big-money deals.
A trade
Less likely, but still possible. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is currently seeking a new contract, which may lead to his exit from Pittsburgh if a deal doesn't come to pass. The Lions have newfound cap space that could allow a new contract to an incoming player. That all could lead to Detroit wanting to upgrade at the position. That said, a trade at this point in the season would be unlikely,
Other names may surface over the coming months leading to the 2026 trade deadline, set for Tuesday, Nov. 10. at 4 p.m. ET.
Roll it over
The Lions could also opt to roll the cap space over into the 2027 offseason. That will give them some extra cash to either dole out for extensions or prep for free agency signings.
Lions cap space
The Lions currently hold $38.205 million in cap room, according to OverTheCap. That ranks second in the NFL behind the 49ers, who hold $45.5 million in cap space entering Week 1.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lions restructure contracts of two stars. What it means
