The Price Tag Just Went Up
We all knew this day was coming. The Detroit Lions have some big extensions to handle this offseason, and the two biggest names on that list are Jack Campbell and Jahmyr Gibbs. Well, the bill for one of them just got a hell of a lot more expensive.
The Miami Dolphins signed De’Von Achane to a four-year, $65 million extension, making him the highest-paid running back in the league. Here’s the thing though: Achane is good, but he’s no Jahmyr Gibbs. You can bet your last dollar that Gibbs is going to top that number, and probably by a decent margin.
Racing Against the Clock
The Lions now find themselves in a race against time. Another elite young running back, Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons, is also due for a payday. Ideally, the Lions get Gibbs locked up before Robinson’s deal gets done to avoid another price spike in the market.
Smart money says the Lions are looking at something in the neighborhood of a four-year extension worth $76 million, with $52 million guaranteed and an average annual value of $19 million. That would put Gibbs right where he belongs: at the top of the running back market.
How the Numbers Work
Here’s how a deal like that might break down. Gibbs would get a slight raise in 2026, bumping his cap hit from $2.9 million to around $7.185 million. That helps spread the money out and keeps the Lions from taking a massive cap hit when the extension kicks in.
The fifth-year option gets picked up in 2027 as expected, fully guaranteed and non-negotiable. The extension would start in 2028 when Gibbs is just 26 years old, with a relatively team-friendly cap hit in that first year to give the Lions flexibility for other moves.
There would likely be a void year attached, giving both sides options down the road. If Gibbs is still dominating at 28, they can extend him again. If not, there’s an exit ramp.
When It Gets Done
Expect this to happen sometime in June or July, well before training camp. There’s no way the Lions let this drag into the season. That would be completely out of character for how this front office operates, and frankly, it would be shocking if it happened.
Look, we’ve been hurt before by this franchise. We’ve watched them let good players walk for stupid reasons, or overpay the wrong guys at the wrong time. But this isn’t that Detroit Lions anymore. The Lions know what they’re doing, and Gibbs is exactly the kind of player you pay. The only question now is whether they can get it done before the price goes up again.
Think $76 million is too much for Gibbs, or is that just what elite production costs these days? Let me know in the comments below.
Gibbs is worth every penny and I’m not even mad about it. This is what elite talent costs in 2025 and Brad Holmes knows it. Getting this done before Robinson’s deal goes down is exactly the kind of smart move that shows this front office gets it.
I like Gibbs, I really do, but 76 million for a running back just feels like a lot even in today’s market. That said, Holmes and Campbell have earned the right to make these calls. I’ll trust them, but I’m keeping my eye on how this affects everything else.
You know back in the day we never had the chance to lock up guys like this because ownership just wasn’t willing to spend the way they do now. Seeing this front office actually invest in the young talent and move aggressively before the market inflates? That’s something different. That’s progress.
Get it done in June like the article says. No dragging this into camp, no drama. This front office doesn’t operate that way and I’ve never been more confident in how they handle their business. Gibbs is our guy and we should pay him like it.