The Detroit Lions have been mostly bargain bin shopping this offseason, trying to manage a tight cap while finding diamonds in the rough. While that strategy has been heavily criticized this offseason on defense, the Lions’ offensive additions seem more reasonable and productive.
Nowhere is that more evident than in what the Lions did to supplement their skill positions. The signings of running back Isiah Pacheco, tight end Tyler Conklin, and wide receiver Greg Dortch are all very low-cost signings that could play well above their current value.
RB Isiah Pacheco — One year, $1.81 million (all guaranteed)
Contract terms source: Aaron Wilson
- Salary: $1.81 million (fully guaranteed)
- Cap hit: $1.81 million
In one of the simplest contracts you’ll see from the Lions, Pacheco’s entire deal is just a $1.81 million fully guaranteed salary. He replaces David Montgomery, who was set to hit Detroit’s cap for nearly $8.4 million in 2026. Detroit is still carrying $4.86 million in dead cap from trading Montgomery, but combined with Pacheco’s salary, the Lions are still saving about $1.7 million compared to if they had kept Montgomery.
Pacheco obviously comes with an injury risk, but the hope is that another year removed from his fractured fibula will help return some of the explosiveness that made the former Chief special. At a cap hit that ranks 43rd among running backs, this is a low-risk signing with high potential. Still, it should be considered a downgrade from Montgomery.
TE Tyler Conklin — One year, $1.3M
Contract terms source: Aaron Wilson
- Salary: $1.3 million
- Cap hit: $1.075 million
Detroit is using the “veteran salary benefit” stipulation in the Collective Bargaining Agreement on this contract. In short, it allows a team to sign a veteran player (at least four accrued seasons) to a vet minimum contract, but the cap hit is just the minimum salary of a player with only two years of experience. Conklin is an eight-year veteran, so his minimum salary is $1.3 million. The minimum salary of a two-year player is just $1.075M.
Conklin’s contract is so low that it barely even hits Detroit’s salary cap, given that only the top-51 contracts count against it. And for that low price, the Lions are getting a player who had at least 50 catches and 400 yards in four consecutive seasons before last year’s tough season with the Chargers. As a TE3 who could push Brock Wright for the TE2 job—and insurance in case Sam LaPorta’s rehab suffers a setback—this is about as good a deal as you can find.
WR Greg Dortch — One year, $1.402M
Contract terms source: Aaron Wilson
- Salary: $1.215 million ($1.o75M guaranteed)
- Game bonuses: $162,500
- Workout bonus: $25,000
- Cap hit: $1,214,706
The Lions are using the same veteran salary benefit here as they did with Conklin. His actual vet minimum is $1.215 million, but it’s only counting $1.075 million against the cap. The Lions added a few incentives here to push the cap hit a little higher (per rules of the veteran salary benefit, teams can only add a maximum of $187,500 in extra benefits, which is the exact figure the Lions used here).
Dortch is being billed by most as a Kalif Raymond replacement, so let’s compare their contract:
Dortch: $1.215M cap hit ($1.075M guaranteed)
Raymond: $3.47M cap hit ($3M guaranteed)
Raymond is costing the Chicago Bears nearly three times the money the Lions are spending on Dortch. And while Raymond’s career has been significantly more successful than Dortch’s, it’s fair to wonder which player will be better moving forward.
Raymond turns 32 in August and is coming off his least efficient year as a punt returner since 2017, averaging just 7.5 yards per return. He has also added under 300 receiving yards in two consecutive seasons. Dortch, meanwhile, will be 28 this season, averaged a career-high 11.6 yards per punt return last year, is more active on kick returns (31 returns last year) than Raymond (six), and has experience with Lions’ new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe Raymond is still a valuable player to have and is a threat to house a punt return at any time, but Detroit’s strategy of getting younger and cheaper—while adding a productive player—seems savvy here.
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