Lions Couldn't Afford Top Pass Rushers This Offseason

Team focused on re-signing young core players instead, president says

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:09am

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Detroit Lions president Rod Wood admitted the team was never in the running to sign or trade for top pass rushers like Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson this offseason, saying the team had to prioritize re-signing its own young stars like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Aidan Hutchinson due to salary cap and cash flow constraints.

Why it matters

The Lions have made it a priority to build through the draft and re-sign their own players, rather than splashing big money in free agency. This approach has allowed them to keep their core intact, but has also limited their ability to add elite talent from outside the organization.

The details

Wood said the Lions faced both salary cap and cash constraints this offseason, and that adding a top pass rusher like Crosby or Hendrickson would have likely meant the team couldn't re-sign one of their 2023 draft picks like Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, or Sam LaPorta. The team instead focused on re-signing players like Goff, St. Brown, and Hutchinson to long-term deals.

  • The Lions restructured a portion of Goff's contract in the offseason, creating $32 million in cap space.
  • The Ravens signed Hendrickson to a 4-year, $112 million deal, while the Panthers gave Jaelan Phillips a 4-year, $120 million contract.

The players

Rod Wood

President of the Detroit Lions.

Brad Holmes

General manager of the Detroit Lions.

Maxx Crosby

Defensive end who was nearly traded to the Lions before the deal was called off due to a failed physical.

Trey Hendrickson

Defensive end who signed a 4-year, $112 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.

Jared Goff

Quarterback for the Detroit Lions who had a portion of his contract restructured this offseason.

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What they’re saying

“When we're looking at our cash and cap budget, we're looking at it as is and as it will be with those guys knowing that we want to keep many of them, all of them if we can.”

— Rod Wood, President, Detroit Lions

“I get it. The cap side, as I said, is easier to manipulate [than your cash budget] but eventually the bill comes due.”

— Rod Wood, President, Detroit Lions

What’s next

The Lions will continue working to re-sign their 2023 draft picks, including Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, and Sam LaPorta, in the coming months.

The takeaway

The Lions' approach of building through the draft and re-signing their own players has kept their core intact, but has also limited their ability to add elite talent from outside the organization. This offseason, the team had to prioritize re-signing its young stars over pursuing top free agents or trade targets.