The Detroit Lions had a good offseason, but to make sure it is complete, the team will need to extend Jahmyr Gibbs. This is the Lions’ most pressing offseason decision, per Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report.
Gibbs is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal. The team has exercised his fifth-year option, so he will be on the roster in 2026. However, that would be the last year of his deal, and the team would need to get something done. On Gibbs side, he would like to get the long-term security and not enter next year with questions about what will happen if an injury or something occured. So, both sides will be motivated to get it done.
The timing will be important to follow, though, because Bijan Robinson is due an extension as well.
Detroit Lions Must Extend Jahmy Gibbs Before Bijan Robinson
GettyJust days after the 2026 NFL draft, news on Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions and his future with the team has surfaced.
They are both two of the better running backs in the NFL. The difference of who will make more between the two will come down to who signs last. In a league where the cap always rises, every player is looking to get what the last player got, but with a little sweetener on top.
Even if you think that Robinson is better than Gibbs, the difference is not big enough to overcome, and the salaries will likely match. So, the Lions are going to work to get a deal done so that they do not have to give him more than Robinson. On the other side, Gibbs might want to see what Robinson gets before signing anything.
The expectation is that the deal will be in the $20M range on a per-year basis. De’Von Achane just signed an extension where he will make $16M per year. At his size and injury status, there was no way that he would top either of these backs, so $16M is much closer to a floor, or a deal they would not sign.
Still, Achane is the third-highest-paid back now. Christian McCaffrey makes $19M per year on average, and Saquon Barkley makes $20.6M per year on average. These two have longer track records and have shown the highest of highs, but Robinson and Gibbs are close to that tier of player, and they are younger, meaning the potential of them hitting McCaffrey and Barkley ceilings is likely at some point. Both teams will likely be topping Barkley on a per-year basis; the question is by how much.
Jahmyr Gibbs Deserves an Extension With the Detroit Lions
It would be hard for any Lions fan to say that he is not worth the deal, though. Gibbs has hit over 900 yards rushing and 300 yards receiving in every NFL season. As a rookie, he had 945 yards on the ground and 316 through the air. In 2024, he jumped to 1,412 on the ground and 517 through the air. Even in 2025, when he dropped to 1,223 rushing yards, he climbed to 616 receiving yards. The production has been consistent and highly valuable. If he continues this pace he is worth it, and there still might be more to come.
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