More (early 2018) Salary Cap stuff

The Lions currently, by my estimate, have about $53.5 million in salary cap space available for 2018 (see yesterday's post below). So who are the top 15 in taking up the cap space already spoken for?

Stafford (of course) $26,500,000
TJ Lang $10,916,666
Golden Tate $ 9,351,250
Marvin Jones $ 8,600,000
Eric Ebron $ 8,250,000 (unless he gets an extension)
Glover Quinn $ 6,516,666
Ricky Wagner $ 5,900,000
Darius Slay $ 5,576,269
Theo Riddick $ 3,887,500
Akeem Spence $ 3,500,000
Cornelius Washington $ 3,487,500
Matt Prater $ 3,200,000
Taylor Decker $ 2,990,994
Sam Martin $ 2,925,000
Jarrad Davis $ 2,493,050

all the rest are under $2 million this year (so far). http://www.overthecap.com/Lions

Bob Quinn's signature is on 14 of those 15 contracts. The only exception is Golden Tate, signed two years before he got here. ALL the rest are directly due to Quinn.

That's 1 QB, 3 OL, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 S, 1 CB, 1 RB, 2 DL, 1 LB, and 2 K/P

That should be the "core" of the team. These are the top assets (cap). So if any on this list don't appear to be core to you, then perhaps the GM made an oopsie, since his name is on all but 1 of their contracts. Or, perhaps, they were developed correctly, used correctly, were healthy, or adjusted to their new team quickly enough.

The next 9 cap hits are all draft picks still playing their rookie contracts. After those, you're below a million a year on the rest of the roster.

So we are a young(ish) team. We have a core that may or may not need to be improved upon. And we MUST be able to develop these players. Just some more stuff I noted as I'm working on my cap info these last couple days.

By the way, I suspect the number two slot will eventually be Ziggy Ansah, moving the rest down a peg. Number three or so will be Ngata or even more likely, his replacement (a free agent) moving them all down another slot, and adding two more DL to the balance. Before the list runs out, sooner or later a Center (or another OL) will be added to the numbers... I don't think Glasgow or the free agent concussion prone Swanson are the final answer, so a draft pick or a free agent who would likely show up on this list at that point.

Our 2018 1st and 2nd rounders from this draft will also end up on this list. Could it be another DL and then a RB? That's what I'm predicting right now, but we'll see and I'll change my mind a dozen times before the end of April.

Maybe I should qualify that statement. On my estimated depth chart I have 14 current Lions free agents who I would re-sign that would make the final roster. I have 32 players already under contract that make the final roster. I suspect two free agent pickups from other teams (as in 'name' players, not camp fodder). And I have the 5 draft picks making the final roster. Total of 53. My "needs" then are (and this is AFTER re-signing 14 guys):

WR
RB
QB
DT
DT
OLB
C

The way I see it, if it went according to plan, is the need for a starting center and a starting defensive tackle. So those would be the two free agents. Then a 5th WR, a 3rd QB, a 5th DT to eventually rotate in and develop, a 6th LB (same) and hopefully finding a starting RB in round 2 of the draft. By the way, the Lions could have selected a number of RBs in round 2 in 2017 instead of CB Teez Tabor, the names include Mixon, Kamara, Hunt, and Foreman. I wouldn't have minded that not that I have anything against Teez Tabor though. Still, if even one of the 14 free agents do not re-sign with the Lions, or if the draft falls in a weird way, the entire plan of mine would be ripped up and thrown away. In addition to that, it's perhaps the Lions won't see things the same way I do, so anything is truly possible right now. I'm pretty much just thinking out loud as it were. Still, what else have we to do while the Lions look for a new head coach? Take a peek at the links up to the right for my estimated depth chart and salary cap chart for more info.