In honor of NBA free agency opening up, which Detroit Lions player is next in line for a huge payday and/or extension?

In honor of NBA free agency opening up this weekend and big money flying around, let’s try to guess which Detroit Lions player is next in line to get a Big Raise.

Times have changed quite a bit from previous regimes. It seems as though the days of top talent leaving (Ndamukong Suh, Quandre Diggs and Darius Slay, to name a few) are over. In fact, we’ve seen some mainstays take pay cuts (Romeo Okwara) or turn down lucrative promotions (offensive coordinator Ben Johnson) to stay with organization. Now it’s time to look ahead.

Detroit has done a good job under general manager Brad Holmes with their salary cap. The first two off-seasons saw short-term contracts, most of which being on the lower end money wise. This offseason they made bigger splashes, most notably signing Cam Sutton to a deal worth $33 million dollars over three years. That’s said, they still have good cap flexibility going forward. With some very solid draft classes, the potential to re-sign guys in-house is high. My answer, however, is a player that comes from the Bob Quinn error… I meant era.

Which Lion is next in line for a big raise?

I’m going with Jonah Jackson. The Lions’ offensive line is arguably a top three unit in all of football. With plenty of big names and personalities within the group, Jackson probably gets overlooked by non-diehard fans and the media alike. But his presence is undeniable, specifically within the organization. He’s been a Day 1 starter since being drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In his sophomore season, he made a Pro Bowl appearance. He’s also been durable, only missing four games over the past three seasons. My guess is the Lions lock him up to a long-term extension before the season starts.

We have some good options to factor in. Guys like Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown will definitely get the bag in the next year or so, ideally in-house. Someone like C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who’s a free agent next off-season is also likely to get a big raise. Whether that comes from Detroit or elsewhere, we want it to happen as it means he played good-to-great for the Lions this season. Even if he were to leave via a hefty contract, that means Detroit could still net a nice compensatory draft pick (possible a third rounder).

It’s good to have deserving options on the team. Perhaps Holmes and company have been modest in free agency in order to re-up with marquee players in-house. If that’s the case, Jonah Jackson is my pick for the next man up. With so many options, who’s your pick for the next Lions player to sign on the dotted line for a big contract? Scroll down to the comment section and share your thoughts.