The Detroit Lions have a lot of decisions to make this offseason and most revolve Ndamukong Suh. The Lions have pinpointed the defensive end as their top priority this offseason, but his return could mean the potential exit of other stars on the team. The Lions are not working with an abundance of salary cap space and if Suh intends on being the highest paid defensive player in the league, other roster changes will have to be made before that can happen.
A long-term contract extension for Suh could range somewhere close to $100 million with potentially $50 million in guaranteed money. That would mean a majority of the Lions' salary cap space is roped into three players, Suh, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Despite the numbers, Suh is a priority regardless.
"He certainly is a big priority for us and he's been an important part of our football team the last five years," general manager Martin Mayhew said, via the team website. "I think the world of him. I had an opportunity to sit down and talk with him. We had a good conversation. We look forward to working with him to try to get a deal done."
The Lions are prepared to do anything in order to retain Suh. The team has the option of the franchise tag which they are open to using. That would be a one-year deal worth $26.9 million. That likely will not be too pleasing for Suh. He already cut off negotiations for a contract once with the Lions and will likely be willing to do so again. If the franchise tag is the solution, Detroit can expect a hold out of their top defensive star.
ProFootballTalk.com argues the idea that the Lions will be forced to decide between retaining Suh or Johnson for the long-term. The wide receiver is a $20 million salary cap charge in 2015. No one is saying Johnson has lost a step, but something was certainly off in 2014. The receiver was injured for a portion of the year while putting together a dip in stats. However, Johnson is threated healthy or not and a different maker on the Lions' team.
Detroit did show signs of potentially moving past Johnson. There were reports they were willing to get a draft deal done for Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans. They ended up drafting hybrid tight end Eric Ebron and signing Golden Tate. While deciding on the future of both players, guaranteed moves the Lions will make are a release of Nick Fairley and Reggie Bush at the start of the offseason.
