Frank Ragnow earned a lucrative contract extension from the Detroit Lions. The team rewarded its Pro Bowl center with the biggest contract for any player at his position in the NFL.
It’s proof the Lions are continuing to place a very high value on the offensive line. New GM Brad Holmes and his regime are keeping the values of the Bob Quinn era in place in paying a heavy emphasis on the line. From the heavy draft capital over the past few seasons to free agent signings, the Lions have invested considerable resources into building the offensive line over the last few years.
The Lions have three of the highest-paid players at their respective O-line positions in terms of total contract value per year:
Ragnow: $54 million over four years, with $42 million guaranteed (1st)
LT Taylor Decker: $60 million over four years (9th)
RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai: $45 million over five years (6th)
Yet the team’s 2021 payroll dedicated to the line ranks just 18th in the NFL. How does that work?
The answer is creative accounting and the way the contracts are designed.
Detroit will spend just $32.7 million on the offensive line in 2021, and that includes first-round pick Penei Sewell as well as Ragnow’s recent extension.
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The money is spread out in all the contracts. Take Vaitai, who signed his deal before the 2020 season to come to Detroit after several seasons in Philadelphia. Vaitai, the presumptive starting right guard, will earn $9 million in fully guaranteed salary in 2021. His signing bonus amortizes to $1.4 million each year.
Ragnow’s big deal doesn’t kick in until 2023, however. He’s due just over $4 million in total salary cap commitment in 2021. Decker’s massive contract increase comes in 2022. The left tackle will earn just $1 million in salary in 2021 but that balloons to $14.75 million in 2022. Decker’s $19.5 million signing bonus gets spread out over five years and includes a void year in 2025.
With Sewell and left guard Jonah Jackson effectively cost-controlled on their rookie deals, it keeps the cap hit for 2021 oddly affordable for Detroit.
The commitment does escalate the Lions to near the top of the league down the road. Detroit currently ranks 6th in OL budget in 2022 and 1st in 2023, when the Lions have already accumulated an offensive line payroll of over $57.7 million.
All salary and cap figures are from Over The Cap