With the Miami Dolphins kicking things off early in the week with a few salary-cap-related releases, it’s time to talk about the Detroit Lions and moves they could possibly make before the start of free agency. With the Lions expected to be over the 2026 salary cap—which is projected to be between $301 and $306 million—the team has some work to do to get under the cap before the start of the new league year on March 11.
We’ve already briefly discussed contract restructuring, which will almost certainly
account for the majority of the team’s cap maneuvering this offseason. But will the Lions also be able to create some cap space by cutting some players?
The answer is yes, but not that much. Let’s break down the three players who would create the most cap space and the likelihood that Detroit makes that move.
Graham Glasgow
Current cap hit: $8,437,500
Cap space created if cut: $5,562,500
Dead cap if cut: $2,875,000
Glasgow had a tough season at center last year after believing he’d finally return to the right guard position. Filling in for Frank Ragnow was always going to be a downgrade, but it’s fair to say Glasgow didn’t meet his own expectations for the position. It certainly didn’t help his case playing between two very young players, but that’s the hand he was dealt.
Now, he enters the offseason carrying the ninth-highest cap hit among NFL centers, and the Lions are likely considering overhauling their offensive line. Glasgow is still valuable as a versatile depth player, but at age 33 (will be 34 when the season starts), it’s fair to wonder if his days as a starter are over. An $8.4 million cap hit is too much to pay a primary reserve, so it’s possible the Lions approach Glasgow for a pay cut, but it feels like a full cut or retirement is more likely.
Likelihood of being a cap casualty: 70%
Taylor Decker
Current cap hit: $21,048,000
Cap space created if cut: $11,604,000
Dead cap if cut: $9,444,000
Decker is still providing above-average to good play at left tackle, but injuries have plagued his last few seasons. A credit to his toughness, he’s played through it all, but it’s taken a mental toll, and he’s very openly considering retirement, which would create the same cap relief as a cut.
But is there a chance Detroit would cut Decker even if he still wanted to play? The amount of cap space created would be tempting, but given how much uncertainty there is with the rest of the offensive line, I highly doubt it. And while $21 million sounds like a lot, it’s actually only 12th among all NFL left tackles for 2026.
The only way I could see Decker getting cut is if he hadn’t made a career decision by the time the Lions wanted it, and I’d imagine Decker would likely retire upon being cut anyway. In short, I can’t see a realistic scenario in which Decker is playing in another NFL jersey.
Likelihood of being a cap casualty: 10%
David Montgomery
Current cap hit: $8,370,833
Cap space created if cut: $3,508,332
Dead cap if cut: $4,862,501
Lions general manager Brad Holmes opened up the David Montgomery trade speculation when he suggested that the team would be open to moving him if Montgomery believed another team would use him to his desired potential.
“He’s a good football player and wish that we would’ve been able to get more utilization from him (last year). I know Dan (Campbell) feels the same way,” Holmes said. “But those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player. He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah, would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here, then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
But how much of a trade market is there for a 29-year-old running back carrying a $6 million cap hit for the acquiring team? That would be the 19th-highest cap hit for all running backs in 2026.
So if the Lions don’t get any offers, would they still be willing to cut Montgomery to “do right by the player”? It’s hard to say.
The good news is that this whole conversation may not matter much at all. The Lions have been hyping Montgomery all offseason, and the veteran back seemed more at peace in Detroit after talking to new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as revealed in some Super Bowl week interviews.
“He was very intentional on what message he was getting across,” Montgomery told Chris Simms. “He wanted to assure me, to let me know that he wants me to be a part of it. Yeah, I’m excited to see what’s next and see what kind of happens now.”
Likelihood of being a cap casualty: 5%
The only other players who would create at least $2 million in cap space are Sam LaPorta ($5.25M), Brian Branch ($5.658M), and Jack Fox ($3.125M), but none of those options are even worth discussing.
The last player worth mentioning is defensive end Josh Paschal, who carries a $1,759,863 cap hit. However, none of that is guaranteed, so the Lions may as well carry him through training camp, see how he performs when healthy, and even if he doesn’t make the team, the Lions would only eat $100,00o via a workout bonus.
