Detroit Lions restructure Carlton Davis’ contract, free up 2024 cap space
The Detroit Lions adjusted newly traded CB Carlton Davis’ cap cost, decreasing it drastically from $14.35 million.
The Detroit Lions acquired cornerback Carlton Davis in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with his $14 million salary and $14.35 million cap charge. That number instantly impacted the Lions’ wage cap when the new league year began and the deal was finalised, leading many to believe the Lions would extend or restructure the contract to provide the team more breathing room.
According to Over The Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald, the Lions chose the latter option. The Lions converted $6 million of Davis’ salary into a signing bonus, which he received immediately. The Lions then added three vacant years to the contract, spreading the $6 million signing bonus’s cap hit over the next four years ($1.5 million annually).
Old contract
- $14 million salary
- Up to $500,000 in per game roster bonus ($352,941 likely to be earned based on 12 games played in 2023)
- Cap hit: $14.35 million
And here’s his new contract:
2024:
- $8 million salary
- $1.5 million in signing bonus proration
- Up to $500,000 in per game roster bonus
- Cap hit: $9.85 million
2025 (automatically voids):
- $4.5 million in dead cap (all 3 remaining void years accelerate to 2025 cap)So, while the signing bonus is currently spread out through the 2027 season, as soon as the contract automatically voids next year on February 20, 2025, the remaining prorated signing bonus hits the cap, resulting in a significant $4.5 million in dead cap next year, even though Davis is not signed for 2025. Detroit can always choose to re-sign or extend Davis, but they will still be responsible for the $4.5 million.
The Lions aren’t just creating cap space out of nothing. They’re essentially shifting approximately a third of Davis’ huge cap charge into next year to alleviate the immediate impact, provide more capacity to make more moves, and transfer the extra cap to a year when the salary cap is predicted to be higher than it was this year.
