With the Detroit Lions running tight on cap space after roster cuts, GM Brad Holmes had to get creative. He turned to two of their biggest contracts and, in the process, opened up $35.68 million in breathing room.
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The Lions restructured Amon-Ra St. Brown’s and Penei Sewell’s deals ahead of their season opener against the New Orleans Saints. According to Over the Cap, the moves leave Detroit with roughly $38 million in available cap space, second only to the San Francisco 49ers at $45.5 million.
When it comes to St. Browns, the Lions took $26 million of his salary and converted it into a signing bonus, trimming $20.8 million from his 2026 cap hit. He signed a four-year, $120 million extension in 2024 and still has three years and $88 million left on the deal. That brings St. Brown’s cap charge down from 33.11 million to $12.31 million for the upcoming season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown’s cap hit (before contract restructuring):
| Year | Cap hit |
| 2026 | $33,110,000 |
| 2027 | $28,980,000 |
| 2028 | $26,010,000 |
| 2029 | (VOID) $16,700,000 |
Amon-Ra St. Brown’s new cap hit (after contract restructuring):
| Year | Cap hit |
| 2026 | $12,310,000 (down $20,800,000) |
| 2027 | $34,180,000 (up $5.2M) |
| 2028 | $31,210,000 (up $5.2M) |
| 2029 | (VOID) $27,100,000 (up $10.4M) |
Now, Detroit is not making the money vanish into thin air; it is spreading the cost into future seasons. St. Browns’s cap hit will increase by $5.2 million in 2027 and 2028, while the void-year charges rise by another $10.4 million.
For now, however, the Lions get the immediate relief they needed from one of the league’s most productive receivers. He had put together 117 catches for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025. That was his third straight season with at least 115 receptions, 1,200 yards, and double-digit touchdowns.
In the case of Penei Sewell, GM Brad Holmes converted his $18.6 million salary to a signing bonus, which lowered his 2026 cap hit to $13.12 million. Before the move, Sewell was on his first contract extension for four years at $112 million, with his 2026 base salary at $19.9 million. Now his new base salary is $1.3 million.
Penei Sewell’s old cap hit (before contract restructuring):
| Year | Cap hit |
| 2026 | $28,000,000 |
| 2027 | $32,000,000 |
| 2028 | $34,000,000 |
| 2029 | $27,000,000 |
| 2030 | (VOID) $0 |
Penei Sewell’s new cap hit (after contract restructuring):
| Year | Cap hit |
| 2026 | $13,120,000 (down $14,880,000) |
| 2027 | $35,720,000 (up $3.72M) |
| 2028 | $37,720,000 (up $3.72M) |
| 2029 | $30,720,000 (up $3.72M) |
| 2030 | $3,720,000 (up $3.72M) |
Sewell’s cap hits will rise by $3.72 million in each remaining season, with a void year now added in 2030. The price is, however, easier to justify when the player involved is one of the best at his position.
Sewell earned his first-team All-Pro honors for the third consecutive season in 2025, and he made his fourth straight Pro Bowl. He will also have a new assignment going into the season.
After playing right tackle last season, Sewell is now transitioning to left tackle, given Detroit released longtime starter Taylor Decker. Meanwhile, his previous position is said to be taken over by first-round rookie Blake Miller.
Now, this is not the first time that Holmes has used a contract restructure to create the room. Just earlier this season, the Lions had reworked Jared Goff’s contract as part of their efforts to manage the cap. They also waived running back Jabari Small and offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin before releasing defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike on Friday.
Also, the timing matters because the salary cap rules change once a team moves from the offseason to the regular season. During the offseason, only the top 51 contracts count against the cap. Once the 53-man roster is set, though, all of them count, along with the practice squad players and players on certain injury lists. So Holmes had to find the room. This also opened up Detroit’s many doors.
The Lions can now absorb an in-season contract and maybe turn their attention towards extensions for players already on the roster. Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch are two names coming to light.
LaPorta enters the season healthy after back surgery had ended his 2025 season, and Branch continues to recover from an Achilles injury and is expected to miss at least the first four games on the PUP list. Also, this kind of flexibility would be even better if one major name suddenly becomes available.
Maxx Crosby Could Be Worth Watching
According to Mike Florio, Detroit could emerge as a contender for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby alongside Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys if the five-time Pro Bowler finds himself on the trade block again.
“Crosby has a $30 million salary in 2026. And the Raiders already tried to trade him once this year to the Ravens,” Mike Florio wrote on NBCSports. “If the season unfolds for Las Vegas in the same way that most seasons since 2002 have gone (with the exception of 2016 and 2021), the Raiders may decide to try to trade him again — and Crosby may welcome an in-season move to a contender.”
It remains to be seen if Detroit does actively pursue him, but for now, all we know is that they have the financial cushion to make that move if the need arises. With the new contracts in place, the Detroit Lions are set to start their season against the Saints on their redemption tour to win the Lombardi Trophy.