On Saturday night, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said the team had not yet made a final decision on the fifth-year options for running back Jamir Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell. But it appears that decision has now been made.
According to FOX 2’s Dan Miller, the Detroit Lions will be activating Gibbs fifth-year option, but they will decline Campbell’s option.
While the team intends to keep both players around long term, the difference in decisions comes down to how the fifth-year option
is calculated for each player. Your options are set based on position, player, production, and the salary cap figure. For Gibbs, it’s pretty straightforward, as all running backs are categorized together. But for Campbell, linebackers are lumped in with outside linebackers, which include one of the highest-paid positions: edge defenders.
In short, Gibbs’ fifth-year option will cost the team $14.3 million on a one-year, fully guaranteed deal. That is a reasonable figure for a top-tier running back. Campbell’s fifth-year option would have cost $21.9 million, more than even the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league.
But the Lions have said time and time again this offseason that the intention is to keep all of their first four draft picks from the 2023 class: Gibbs, Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch. So don’t be surprised if most—if not all—four players agree to extensions this year. It just may be a little more complicated for Campbell, given the odd fifth-year option loophole.
