The Detroit Lions can free up $12–15 million in 2026 cap space by restructuring Penei Sewell’s contract using bonus conversions and void years. Here’s how it works.
The Detroit Lions enter the 2026 offseason with one massive priority: protecting their franchise quarterback and preserving the foundation of the league’s best offensive line. At the center of that plan is right tackle Penei Sewell, and his contract is quietly positioned to become a major cap-management lever.
According to his current deal, Sewell is scheduled to carry a $28.0 million cap hit in 2026, accounting for nearly 9 percent of the projected team total. For a player of his age and importance, that number isn’t problematic, but it is flexible. And flexibility is exactly what a Super Bowl contender needs.
The good news? The Lions can create significant cap room, potentially freeing up $12–15 million, with a clean, low-risk restructure.
Why 2026 Is the Pressure Point
Sewell’s 2026 contract year looks like this:
- Base Salary: $19.9 million
- Prorated Bonus: $3.0 million
- Option Bonus Proration: $5.0 million
- Total Cap Hit: $28.0 million
- Dead Money if Cut: $48.9 million (not realistic)
At just 26 years old, Sewell is the definition of a franchise cornerstone. There is no scenario in which Detroit moves on from him. The only logical maneuver is a restructure that shifts cap charges into future seasons when the league’s revenue — and salary cap — will be significantly higher.
The Most Likely Solution: Salary-to-Bonus Conversion
Brad Holmes can convert a portion of Sewell’s $19.9 million base salary into a signing bonus and prorate it across the remaining years of the contract.
Example Restructure
Convert $15 million of Sewell’s 2026 base salary into a signing bonus.
Spread over:
- 2026
- 2027
- 2028
- 2029
- Plus one void year
Proration:
$15M ÷ 5 = $3M per season
New 2026 Cap Hit
- New Base Salary: $4.9M
- New Bonus Proration: $11.0M
- New Cap Total: ~$15.9M
Cap Savings:
Approximately $12 million instantly.
Adding Void Years for Maximum Flexibility
If Detroit adds two void years and spreads the same $15 million over seven seasons:
$15M ÷ 7 = $2.14M annually
New 2026 Cap Hit:
- Base: $4.9M
- Proration: ~$10.1M
- Total: ~$15.0M
Cap Savings:
Approximately $13–14 million.
This is the same financial structure used by elite offensive line franchises like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Kansas City to maintain dominant trenches while preserving cap liquidity.
Why the Lions Will Almost Certainly Do This
Penei Sewell Is the Offense’s Anchor
He is the highest-graded tackle in football and still years away from his peak.
The Super Bowl Window Is Now
Goff, St. Brown, Gibbs, LaPorta, Hutchinson, Branch — the core is intact and elite.
The Cap Is About to Explode
Future seasons will absorb prorated money far more easily than 2026.
This Contract Was Designed for Restructuring
The heavy mid-deal base salaries exist specifically to be converted when the team is ready to push all-in.
Realistic Cap Outcome
With a standard restructure and one or two void years, the Lions can:
- Reduce Sewell’s 2026 cap hit from $28.0M → $14–16M
- Create $12–15 million in usable space
- Preserve long-term flexibility
- Lock in the best tackle in football without altering the roster core
Bottom Line
Detroit does not need to choose between paying its All-Pro right tackle and strengthening the rest of the roster.
By converting a portion of Penei Sewell’s 2026 salary into bonus and extending the proration window, the Lions can unlock over $12 million in cap space while keeping their offensive line intact and their Super Bowl window wide open.
This is not a risky move.
This is standard contender cap engineering.
And for a front office built on long-term trench dominance, it’s almost inevitable.
The post Examining How Detroit Lions Can Restructure Penei Sewell’s Contract to Free Up Cap Space appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.
Category: General Sports
