An enormous contract decision is looming for the Detroit Lions, and Jahmyr Gibbs sits right at the center of it. The dynamic running back is tracking toward a lucrative second deal, leaving the organization to determine just how much it’s willing to invest.
Success in the NFL often creates its own challenges. Teams that draft well eventually face a wave of players who earn expensive extensions at the same time. Detroit is firmly in that position now.
The Lions have already committed big money to cornerstone players like Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Kerby Joseph. However, more financial pressure is on the horizon as members of the outstanding 2023 draft class inch closer to new contracts.
Gibbs, along with Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch, has clearly played at a level that justifies top-tier money at his position. The lingering question is whether Detroit can realistically retain all four, given the long-standing NFL reality that even well-run teams can’t pay everyone.
Injuries added extra complexity this season. LaPorta’s year was cut short due to a back injury that required surgery, while Branch suffered a torn Achilles late in the campaign.
From a timing standpoint, the Lions do have flexibility with Gibbs and Campbell. Both players are eligible for fifth-year options that would push extension talks into 2027 if needed. Detroit used a similar approach with Sewell, whose fifth-year option was effectively absorbed into a long-term deal, while Hutchinson’s extension was aligned with his option year.
Detroit Bracing for a Big Payday for Gibbs
ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently examined major upcoming extension decisions across several teams, and the Lions naturally made the list due to the number of young stars nearing second contracts.
Graziano saved Gibbs for last and made it clear where he believes the financial benchmark lies.
Gibbs, drafted 12th overall in 2023, has been one of the league’s most explosive offensive weapons, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 13 touchdowns per season through his first three years. Graziano pointed to Saquon Barkley’s recent post-Super Bowl extension with Philadelphia—worth an average of $20.6 million per year—as the current reference point for elite running backs.
According to Graziano, Gibbs’ camp will likely push to surpass Barkley’s annual figure, while Detroit will aim to keep the number below $20 million. Whether a deal gets finalized this offseason may depend on which side is more willing to stand firm.
Despite the negotiation challenges, Graziano ultimately projected that the Lions would manage to extend all four players—Gibbs, Campbell, LaPorta, and Branch—with Gibbs commanding the most eye-catching contract.
He projected a deal approaching $80 million in total value, a figure that would dramatically raise the bar at the running back position, surpassing Josh Jacobs’ $48 million contract. An annual average around $20 million would narrowly trail Barkley’s deal, while approximately $30 million guaranteed would also come in below Barkley’s $36 million guarantee.
Gibbs is set to turn 24 in March, and when compared to the league’s highest-paid running backs, he would be the youngest among them if he reaches that tier. That age advantage strengthens the case for his representatives to argue he deserves to exceed the current market leader. Detroit could still make that work by creatively structuring the contract to soften future salary cap impacts.
While long-term investments at running back often come with risk due to the physical demands of the position, Gibbs has already demonstrated he’s an exception to many of those concerns. All signs point to him becoming one of the league’s top-paid players at his position—it’s no longer a question of if, but when.
