When it comes to the Detroit Lions, we now know what the team’s top offseason priority is thanks to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Following Detroit’s 44-30 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football, Rapoport revealed that getting a deal done with star running back Jahmyr Gibbs is the top task on the docket for Detroit.
“Going to be a big offseason for Jahmyr Gibbs," Rapoport said on air. "For the first time, he’s eligible for a contract extension. … The Lions do an excellent job of taking care of their own, being proactive to do it. My understanding is that [Gibbs] is priority No.1, could be highly paid this offseason.”
Gibbs is obviously deserving of a new deal, as he’s been absolutely stellar for the Lions over the past couple of seasons. He ran for 1,412 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns last season while also adding another 517 yards and five touchdowns on receptions.
He’s been equally as impressive this season as he’s accounted for over 1,500 scrimmage yards and 16 total touchdowns.
It remains to be seen exactly what an extension for Gibbs will look like, but it will be hefty. Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles is currently the highest-paid running back in the league with an average annual salary of over $20 million and $36 million in guarantees. There’s a world where Gibbs could potentially surpass those numbers.
A contract projection from Pride of Detroit has Gibbs getting $84 million over four years with $44 million in guaranteed money. That's obviously a lot of money for a position that has been devalued in recent years, but Gibbs would be worth it given how important he is to Detroit's offensive attack.
Plus, at only 23 years old, Gibbs hasn’t even entered his prime as a player yet, which provides even more motivation for the Lions to lock him up with a new deal.
"There's just not a cap on this dude yet," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of Gibbs after the win over Dallas. "And there again, he works his tail off. He's freaking smart, he's instinctive, he's a team guy. I mean, he's something else. So, the sky is the limit for him. He's just getting started now. He's just getting started."
That's a scary thought for the rest of the league.