Brad Holmes Makes the Smart Call on Fifth-Year Options
On Saturday night, Brad Holmes said the Lions hadn’t made final decisions on fifth-year options for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell. Well, that didn’t take long.
According to FOX 2’s Dan Miller, the Lions are picking up Gibbs’ fifth-year option while declining Campbell’s. And yes, I know what you’re thinking. This sounds like the kind of move that would have had us spiraling into conspiracy theories about the front office not believing in their own picks.
But this isn’t that Detroit Lions anymore.
The Numbers Tell the Whole Story
Holmes isn’t playing favorites here. He’s playing the salary cap like the chess master he’s proven to be. Gibbs’ fifth-year option comes in at $14.3 million fully guaranteed, which is reasonable money for a top-tier running back.
Campbell’s option? Try $21.9 million. That’s more than the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the entire league, and it’s all because of an absolutely ridiculous CBA loophole that lumps inside linebackers with edge rushers when calculating these options.
You don’t pay middle linebacker money for edge rusher production, even if you love the player. That’s not being cheap. That’s being smart.
This is About Long-Term Planning, Not Loyalty
The Lions have made it crystal clear they want to keep their entire first four picks from the 2023 draft class together. Gibbs, Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch are the core of this thing we’re building in Allen Park.
Declining Campbell’s option doesn’t change that plan. It just means they’ll work out a more reasonable extension that pays him like the excellent middle linebacker he is, not like Khalil Mack.
Holmes has earned the benefit of the doubt here. When he makes moves that seem questionable at first glance, there’s usually a method to the madness. This time, the method is pretty obvious. Don’t get trapped by bad contract structures when you can negotiate something that makes sense for everyone involved.
Think Campbell is getting the short end of the stick, or is this just Holmes being the salary cap wizard we’ve needed for decades? Drop your take below.
