When the Detroit Lions take the field for their Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, they will be looking to put together a bounce-back campaign. After missing the playoffs entirely last year, it’s clear that a similar sort of season will not be tolerated by the Lions and their fans.
Once again, Detroit’s offense will be its driving force this year. The Lions have a handful of star players at their disposal, with All-Pro caliber talents Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell being two of their most important guys. Ahead of the start of the regular season, though, the front office made a pair of roster moves involving St. Brown and Sewell.
Lions Restructure Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell’s Contracts
While Dan Campbell has gotten a lot of credit for helping turn the Lions’ offense into a well-oiled machine, it’s the players who go out and deliver the goods. There are quite a few good players at Campbell’s disposal, but on offense at least, it’s clear that St. Brown and Sewell stand above the rest of the pack.
A fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, St. Brown has enjoyed a staggeringly fast rise in the NFL, as he’s become Jared Goff’s most trusted target in the passing game. The 2025 campaign was another typically productive season for St. Brown, as he suited up in all 17 games and caught 117 passes for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning his fourth-straight Pro Bowl selection and a spot on the All-Pro Second Team.
Sewell, on the other hand, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he has promptly earned four Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro First Team honors so far in his career. Both guys are signed to big-money contracts, so if the front office feels it needs more salary cap space, it can turn to them and restructure their contracts for immediate relief. As it turns out, that’s exactly what the Lions have done, as they have freed up over $30 million in the process.
Lions restructured the contracts of WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and LT Penei Sewell and created over $30 million in salary cap space, as Michael Ginnitti reported,” Adam Schefter of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Lions Expecting Big Seasons From Both Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell
Both St. Brown and Sewell signed contract extensions in April 2024, with St. Brown getting four years and $120 million from the Lions, while Sewell came in just below him at four years, $112 million. With these expensive contracts, front offices across the league frequently convert a player’s base salary into a signing bonus, which provides immediate salary cap relief. By doing that here, Detroit has given itself a ton of breathing room for the upcoming season.
A big move may not necessarily be on the horizon, but these restructures will give the front office the freedom to navigate the 2026 campaign as it sees fit. After all, Detroit was busy making moves all offseason long, and it will get its first look at its new team on Sunday when it squares off against New Orleans.
Lions Create $30 Million in Cap Space With Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell Moves