The Detroit Lions have restructured the contracts of receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and left tackle Penei Sewell to create $35.68 million in salary cap space, according to Over The Cap. The moves leave Detroit with more than $38 million in cap space, the second-highest total in the NFL.
The Lions converted $26 million of St. Brown's salary into a signing bonus, reducing his 2026 cap number by $20.8 million. The move pushes $5.2 million in additional cap charges into each of the remaining years of his deal. Sewell's restructure converted $18.6 million of his salary into a signing bonus, trimming $14.88 million off this year's cap figure while adding $3.72 million per season to his future cap hits.
The financial flexibility gives Detroit room to make a move before the 2026 season if the front office chooses to. One early name to watch is Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who is currently seeking a new contract. If he doesn't get a deal done, Porter may demand a trade, though that scenario remains speculative at this stage.
What's more likely, according to the reporting, is that these restructures are designed to set up extensions for tight end Sam LaPorta and safety Brian Branch. Detroit general manager Brad Holmes has repeatedly expressed the franchise's desire to lock both players up long-term.
"We still want to keep those guys around," Holmes said of Branch and LaPorta. "Those plans hadn't changed. There's a couple factors that we still gotta sort through, but in terms of us wanting those guys around, absolutely. Hopefully, we can get that done."
Branch is entering the final year of his rookie deal after earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2024. LaPorta, a 2023 second-round pick, has established himself as one of the league's most productive tight ends since arriving in Detroit, catching 10 touchdowns as a rookie before following up with 60 receptions for 626 yards and four scores in 2024.
The Lions could also opt to roll the new cap space over into the 2027 offseason. That approach would help fund LaPorta and Branch extensions or position Detroit to be more aggressive in free agency next year.
Restructuring contracts is a standard mechanism for NFL teams to create immediate relief by converting salary into signing bonus, which is then spread across the remaining years of a deal. The practice pushes money into future cap years but gives teams short-term spending power. Detroit has used the strategy before under Holmes, who took over as general manager in 2021 and has built a roster that reached the NFC Championship game in January 2024.
The Lions enter the 2026 season with Super Bowl expectations after back-to-back playoff appearances. Their core is largely intact, anchored by St. Brown, Sewell, quarterback Jared Goff, and wide receiver Jameson Williams. Keeping Branch and LaPorta in that group would extend the competitive window well beyond this season.
Holmes' comments suggest the restructures are part of a broader plan rather than a reaction to any single opportunity. The cap space could be used before the start of the regular season, or held as leverage into the trade deadline. Either way, Detroit's front office now has options it didn't have last week.
The team has not announced any additional moves beyond the two restructures. The reported $38 million in available space gives Detroit the second-highest total in the league, behind only the New England Patriots, per Over The Cap. That ranking could shift as other teams make their own adjustments before the new league year begins in March.
According to Yahoo Sports.