Evaluating Detroit Lions 2026 Defensive Positional Spending

The Detroit Lions are looking to fortify a defense that has been battered by injuries over the last two seasons.

Detroit has lost several key players to injury over the last two seasons, which has inhibited the overall performance. They’re looking for better health in 2026, along with some contributions from depth signings that Brad Holmes has made early in free agency.

Here’s a breakdown of how the Lions have allocated their funds for the 2026 season on the defensive side, and how that stacks up with the rest of the league. All financials are courtesy of Over The Cap.

Overall defense:$118,641,387 (20th in NFL)

Interior defensive line: $37,268,175 (12th in NFL)

The Lions’ third-highest cap hit for the 2026 season belongs to Alim McNeill, who is set to count for $28.966 million against the team’s books in 2026. He’s in the second year of a four-year, $97.25 million extension that made him one of the highest-paid interior defenders at the time.

Elsewhere, the money on the interior comes from a collection of small contracts. DJ Reader, who was the Lions’ second-highest paid interior defender, is a free agent and Roy Lopez signed a new contract with the Arizona Cardinals. 

Tyleik Williams, who was the team’s first-round pick in last year’s draft, is set to have a cap hit of $3,745,475 in his second season. That is the team’s second-highest cap hit at this position, and as a result they could look to use some of their leftover cap space to add some veteran depth on the interior of their defensive line.

EDGE: $15,236,400 (30th in NFL)

The noise surrounding the fans’ desire for the Lions to add another EDGE seemed to hit a fever pitch before Brad Holmes added two last week. Still, neither one figures to be a difference maker, and both are on one-year deals. 

D.J. Wonnum could earn up to $6 million on his contract this season, while Turner is set to have a cap hit of $1.145 million with no guarantees. The top cap hit belongs to Hutchinson, who will be playing under his fifth-year option with a cap hit under $10.2 million before his contract extension takes effect beginning in 2027.

While the Lions’ spending at this position ranks near the bottom of the league currently, when Hutchinson’s extension takes effect it will steadily climb. However, the Lions have five void years built into his contract that will steadily disperse the cap hit to avoid it getting too high.

Linebacker: $18,457,397 (14th in NFL)

More spending could be on the way at the linebacker position, as the Lions have a big extension looming with linebacker Jack Campbell. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Campbell can have his contract extended a year with the fifth-year option before the team is forced to make a decision on his long-term future, but all indications are that they plan to extend him.

Campbell is still operating with a cap hit below $5 million. Meanwhile, the highest cap hit in 2026 at the linebacker position belongs to Derrick Barnes, who is in the second year of his three-year extension signed last year. 

The Lions also retained Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske on respective one-year deals, while adding Damone Clark on a similar contract. None of the three will carry exceptionally large cap hits, essentially functioning as prove-it deals. 

Detroit lost Alex Anzalone, who signed a two-year deal with the Buccaneers and this brought the positional spending down. As a result, the Lions could be looking to add his replacement either on a cheap free agent deal or in the draft.

Cornerback: $31,783,811 (10th in NFL)

The Lions have invested heavily into their secondary, with significant moves at the cornerback position as of late. D.J. Reed is set to have the team’s fifth-highest cap hit in the second year of his three-year pact, with the number set to be $17.867 million.

Beyond that, the team is hoping for better production from cornerback Terrion Arnold in his third NFL season. This is a big year for Arnold, as he will become extension-eligible next offseason and the team will have to decide whether or not to pay up for his fifth-year option.

Rock Ya-Sin has earned a raise for the 2026 season, as his cap hit will be $3.2 million after being just over a million last season. Elsewhere, the team has filled out the room with the signing of Roger McCreary and the returns of Ennis Rakestraw, Khalil Dorsey and Nick Whiteside.

Safety: $15,895,604 (19th in NFL)

The Lions will have the first year of Kerby Joseph’s contract extension on the books this year, as he finished his rookie contract last season. However, there are concerns about his long-term stability, and the hope is that the nagging knee injury he dealt with for much of last year is just a small bump in the road.

Elsewhere, the Lions will need to make a decision on Brian Branch in the somewhat near future. Branch’s Achilles injury complicates things, as it could have a long-term impact, however the team doesn’t have the luxury of him having a fifth-year option. As a result, the Lions will need to decide on his future before the end of the season or risk him hitting free agency.