The Detroit Lions exercised the fifth-year option for running back Jahmyr Gibbs this offseason. But sometime over the next year, the team is expected to sign Gibbs to a contract extension.
Pundits don’t expect Gibbs’ next contract to be cheap. To begin this week, CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles explored what the running back’s extension could look like.
In the same article, Pereles analyzed a potential extension for fellow running back Bijan Robinson with the Atlanta Falcons. The CBS writer sees Robinson getting his extension first but more overall money for Gibbs.
“Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have emphasized rewarding their homegrown talent and backed that up with many recent extensions. With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, it happened early in the 2024 offseason,” wrote Pereles.
“But with Alim McNeill, it happened during the 2024 season. With Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson, it happened during the 2025 season — Williams right at the start, Hutchinson midseason.
“We can envision similar timing for Gibbs, especially as the Lions wade through precarious cap waters. Gibbs tops Robinson in terms of total money and guaranteed money, but on a four-year extension, so the per-year money isn’t a record setter. The extra year could give Detroit some flexibility in the contract’s structure.”
Pereles concluded with a 4-year, $84 million as his prediction for Gibbs’ extension. The analyst predicted $46 million to be guaranteed.
That would give the Lions running back a new record total value for a running back contract. Gibbs’ $46 million guaranteed would also be a running back record.
Projecting Contract Extension for Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs
It’s seems to be only a matter of time until Gibbs gets his next deal from the Lions.
The fourth-year dual-threat is a superstar as one of the top running backs in the NFL. The questions in the way of an extension is how much he could raise the ceiling on the running back market.
Detroit also has a lot of young talent that the team could be trying to re-sign over the next year.
“Robinson seems more likely to get an extension soon … Robinson is one of a few Falcons clearly worthy of a major extension currently,” wrote Pereles. “The Lions have not only Gibbs, but also Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch to consider extending from their 2023 draft class, and they’d need to move some significant future money around.”
Robinson getting his deal first will likely mean the Lions have to beat that contract on some level. Pereles projected that to happen from a total value and guaranteed money perspective.
The CBS analyst, though, predicted Robinson to get a 3-year deal, which gave the Falcons running back a high average annual salary.
The lower average over a longer period of time but more total money is likely a better fit for Detroit with all the other players the team needs to re-sign.
Lions Exercised Gibbs’ Fifth-Year Option
Detroit electing to keep Gibbs on his fifth-year option in 2027 was a no-brainer decision. The fifth-year option will pay the running back $14.293 million during the 2027 campaign.
Gibbs will earn a base salary of just $1.145 million during 2026. He will possess a $5.67 million cap hit as well.
It’s hard to argue Gibbs doesn’t deserve every penny he gets for the rest of his rookie deal and any extension. He has earned a Pro Bowl nomination in all three of his NFL campaigns. Last season, he eclipsed the 1,800 yards from scrimmage mark for the second straight campaign.
Overall, Gibbs has rushed for 3,580 yards and 39 touchdowns in 49 games. He has averaged 5.3 yards per carry. Gibbs has also caught 181 passes for 1,449 receiving yards and an additional 10 scores.
The running back is averaging a touchdown per game through three NFL seasons.
Lions Receive $84 Million Jahmyr Gibbs Contract Update