Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes offered some updates on their contract extension plans for players like Aidan Hutchison, Kerby Joseph.
As the Detroit Lions head into the offseason, one of the biggest priorities for the front office will be to sign or extend their own players. Detroit has put an emphasis on rewarding their own players, and with six All-Pro players on the team, there needs to be a delicate balance of keeping your core players while also leaving enough cap space to manage an entire roster of talent.
This year, there are several questions facing general manager Brad Holmes when it comes to retaining free agents and offering contract extensions to other players. Here’s what Holmes had to say about specific players.
Conversations have begun with Kevin Zeitler
Zeitler was one of the Lions’ biggest free agent signings last free agency. The 34-year-old right guard helped Detroit manage the loss of Jonah Jackson in free agency, and Detroit’s offensive line remained stout with him in the lineup.
“I thought Zeitler did a good job this year,” Holmes said. “It’s different when you’re changing completely different schemes and kind of early on, he kind of had to get used to how we were doing things, but once he got adjusted into that, I thought he did a really good job.”
Zeitler now heads into the offseason a pending free agency, and given he’d be entering Year 14 of his career, there are questions about his NFL future that need to be answered first. Holmes said those conversations have begun, but nothing too far down the line.
“A player of that age, you’ve just got to have conversations with him,” Holmes said. “We had conversations on exit day and then we’ll just continue to have dialog and just kind of see where it goes.”
Holmes is happy with Carlton Davis’ play, but no talks yet
The other big offseason addition was cornerback Carlton Davis, who was brought in to be Detroit’s No. 1 cornerback. Davis would finish on injured reserve after breaking his jaw in Week 15, but Holmes said they got everything they expected out of Davis and more.
“I thought we got very good play from him. I will be honest, I thought that he played better this year than he did the year before, that last year in Tampa, and he’ll tell you that too,” Holmes said.
As for contract talks, like with Zeitler, those are conversations that will happen down the line.
“So, no intense action yet, but we’re very aware of it and we’ll go through our normal process,” Holmes said.
Aidan Hutchinson and getting ahead of a contract extension
In 2025, Aidan Hutchinson will enter the final year of his rookie deal, with the team having a fifth-year option for 2026 they can use, if necessary. That fifth-year option decision must be made by May 1.
However, the Lions have historically preferred to get ahead of the market on these extensions. Last year, the Lions handed extensions to Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Penei Sewell in April and May, while other teams often wait until summer to get those deals done.
So how will they handle Hutchinson’s extension—along with any other players who are eligible this year (like Jameson Williams)? Well, that depends on the other side of the bargaining table.
“We’re working through all of that. Again, it’s not always in our control, we might have our plans and processes, but it takes two people to get something done,” Holmes said. “That’s not a negative comment, it’s just that you just don’t know what that player and their camp and all that kind of stuff are thinking. So, we haven’t gotten to those intense dialogues yet.”
In other words, it’s early.
Holmes wants to keep All-Pro players like Kerby Joseph around
Another key player who will be involved in those conversations is Lions safety Kerby Joseph. The NFL’s 2024 interception leader has certainly earned a big raise entering the final year of his rookie deal. While Holmes, again, said those conversations would happen down the line, he also made it clear Joseph is the kind of player they want to stick around as long as possible.
“He’s an All-Pro player and he’s another one that’s gotten better and better,” Holmes said. “So he’s one that has proven that he’s a Detroit Lion, he fits our culture. It’s hard to find ballhawk guys that will tackle like how he does, and I think that’s what makes him unique. So again, we haven’t had any intense dialogue about that yet, but obviously, we want to keep the good players here.”