It was nice to do this a little later this year.

salaries from the netrat dot com - he has us at 37 players and about 107m but here is what I got out of the spreadsheet.

Current Financial Condition

NFL Salary Cap 2012: $125,000,000
Lions’ Current Total Salary: $104,084,584
Total Players: 36

Current Depth Chart - Under Contract

Offense:
  • QB: Matthew Stafford - $16,853,750
    RB: Jahvid Best - $1,741,000 / Mikel LeShoure - $733,998 / Keiland Williams - $490,000 / Joique Bell - $450,000 (guess)
    WR1: Calvin Johnson - $15,600,000 / Titus Young - $1,154,167
    LT: Jason Fox - $600,302
    LG: Rob Sims - $1,500,000
    C: Dominic Raiola - $3,400,000 / Dylan Gandy - $850,000
    RG: Stephen Peterman - $2,725,000
    RT: Gosder Cherilus - $3,215,000 / Johnny Culbreath - $562,950
    TE: Brandon Pettigrew - $2,062,500 / Tony Scheffler - $2,050,000 / Will Heller - $900,000
    WR2:Nate Burleson - $4,516,250 / Stefan Logan - $615,000

Defense:
  • RDE: Kyle Vanden Bosch - $6,730,000 / Lawrence Jackson - $915,000
    DT: Ndamukong Suh - $13,585,000
    DT: Corey Williams - $5,000,000 / Nick Fairley - $2,247,000
    LDE: Willie Young - $506,000
    OLB: Doug Hogue - $510,000
    MLB:
    OLB: Justin Durant - $3,125,000
    CB: Aaron Berry - $415,833 / Alphonso Smith - $695,000
    S: Louis Delmas - $822,500 / John Wendling - $740,000
    S: Amari Spievey - $490,000
    CB: Chris Houston - $4,000,000 / Don Carey - $540,000

Special Teams:
  • LS:
    K: Jason Hanson - $3,235,000
    P: Ryan Donahue - $468,333

Beginning of Lions’ Offseason

News begins to trickle in of the Lions being in contact with a couple of their longstanding players. On a sunny but crisp spring morning in early March, a press conference is announced for later that day. It is confirmed to have Martin Mayhew, Tom Lewand and Jim Schwartz present.

After answering some routine questions, they then announce they have reached extensions with three of their key players: Calvin Johnson, Cliff Avril, and Stephen Tulloch. The details are as follows:

Calvin Johnson: $81,734,567 contract over 5 years with 33.5m guaranteed (reduces ’12 cap hit by 1.4 million)
Cliff Avril: $45,304,480 contract over 5 years with 16m guaranteed (9m per year avg)
Stephen Tulloch: $20,500,000 contract over 4 years

The three players sit with their coach and answer several questions from reporters about achieving their dreams: namely, a Super Bowl.

Later that day, the Lions announce their release of Kyle Vanden Bosch, whose neck had been giving him trouble. Since it is prior to June 1, the remaining prorated years of KVB’s bonus hit in 2012, resulting in a 2.96m total cap hit rather than 6.73m cap hit (savings of about 3.8m). There will be no cap penalty in 2013. Vanden Bosch proceeds to question whether or not he should retire from football.

The Lions are also pleased to announce the following free agent signings:

Michael Griffin, S: 3 years, $12.25 million
Schwartz utilizes the Tennessee connection once more to bring in strong competition for Amari Spievey, which sends him a message to step up or lose his job. Griffin’s inconsistent play makes him affordable, and Schwartz hopes Cunningham will be able to utilize Griffin’s well-rounded talents to the fullest.

Jarvis Moss, DE: 2 years, $3 million
After middling in Oakland, Moss takes a chance on Detroit to showcase his talents with Kyle Vanden Bosch now gone from the team.

Throughout March and early April, Lions also announce the following resignings:

Corey Williams, DT: 3 years, $12 million; first year savings of about 1.3m for extension
Jeff Backus, OT: 2 years, $3 million – flat per year
Eric Wright, CB: 2 years, $3 million – flat per year
Sammie Hill, DT: 1 year RFA tender (2nd round – $1.417m)
DeAndre Levy, OLB: 1 year RFA tender (original round – $987k)
Drew Stanton, QB: 3 years, $3 million – flat per year
Don Muhlbach, LS: 2 years, $2 million – flat per year
Leonard Davis, G: 1 year, $950,000
Bobby Carpenter, OLB: 1 year, $825,000
Ashlee Palmer, OLB: 1 year, $700,000
Kevin Smith, HB: 1 year, $700,000

Welcome to the Radio City Music Hall for the 2012 NFL Draft!

With the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Chase Minnifield, CB from the University of Virginia.



Chase Minnifield strengthens a Detroit secondary with solid tackling and excellent ball skills. He will join Chris Houston, Louis Delmas, and Michael Griffin in what Detroit hopes to be a vastly improved secondary. Eric Wright will compete with Aaron Berry and Alphonso Smith for the nickel back position.

Minnifield comes from a strong Virginia-coached line of cornerbacks and makes plenty of highlight reel plays on the field. He displays sufficient 4.45-4.5 speed. His hips can be stiff at times but he makes up for it with his excellent quarterback vision and ball tracking in the air. One can also expect less frustration of dropped interceptions with Minnifield as he displays wide receiver-like hands and times his jumps very well.


With the 56th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Lavonte David, LB from the University of Nebraska.



As Detroit attempts to improve its defense to match the skills of conference mainstays Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, they add an extremely athletic linebacker from the University of Nebraska. With surprising thump against the run and great pursuit against the pass and the run, the smallish 225 pound Lavonte David hopes to add about ten pounds to his frame without losing speed in order to be a cornerstone of the Lions’ defense for years to come.

With the additional weight combined with his already surprising hit power, David could do just that. He also presents a possible solution against a couple of the conference’s most athletic tight ends Jermichael Finley and Jimmy Graham. While he gets bigger, better, and stronger, Detroit feels comfortable letting him battle with Deandre Levy for a starting position.

With the 88th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Michael Brewster, C from the Ohio State University.



While Michael Brewster did not perform up to very lofty expectations in 2011, the Lions are excited to add a heady center whose strong, consistent tape solidified the decision here in the 3rd round for Dominic Raiola’s eventual replacement.



With the 120th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Lions select Ladarius Green, TE from Louisiana-Lafayette.



While a fan favorite, Tony Scheffler is getting older and more expensive. The Lions, while they have other needs, decide not to pass up on the opportunity to groom his replacement and improve their depth. Ladarius Green, at 6’6” and with a great hands/speed combination for a tight end, will play in his first year in some situations and be the eventual 1-2 receiving punch with starting tight end Brandon Pettigrew.

This one will end up being one of the Lions’ best picks in the coming years as Green develops into a great receiver and capable blocker after putting on a little weight.

With the 152nd pick in the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select Jeffrey Demps, HB from the University of Florida.



The Lions jump at the opportunity to add a potential Darren Sproles here in Jeffrey Demps. Stefan Logan’s capability has been extremely limited now that kickoffs are essentially a thing of the past. Demps is more versatile with better size and return capability. He should find himself a role in the offense to complement his special teams skillset.

Demps comes in with sub-4.3 speed and the potential to fill in for the injury-prone Jahvid Best should he once again go down.

With the 7th round pick from the Seattle Seahawks, the Detroit Lions select Donte Paige-Moss, DE from the University of North Carolina.



The Lions select Paige-Moss with the hope that he can return post-ACL tear to his sophomore season form. There are some concerns with his work ethic as he suffered a drop-off in production after that great season, but there is no questioning his athleticism. At 6’4” 265 and with explosive quickness, Paige-Moss is a flyer the Lions are happy to take as they attempt to recreate the pass rush they enjoyed in 2010.

With the 216th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Rokevious Watkins, G from the University of South Carolina.



Making second team All-SEC in his senior season, this JuCo transfer has the size and ability at 6’4” and 320 lbs to one day become an NFL starter and at the very least provide depth for a Lions’ offensive line that craves an infiltration of youth.

Lions release Stefan Logan, Joique Bell, Keiland Williams, Dylan Gandy, Don Carey, and Will Heller prior to the start of the season.

They also announce signings of Zac Robinson and Terence Toliver to round out the roster.

The Lions’ depth chart looks as follows:

2012 Detroit Lions

Offense:
  • QB: Matthew Stafford - $16,853,750 / Drew Stanton - $1,000,000 / Zac Robinson - $615,000
    RB: Jahvid Best - $1,741,000 / Mikel LeShoure - $733,998 / Kevin Smith - $700,000 / Jeffrey Demps - $400,000
    WR1: Calvin Johnson - $15,600,000 / Titus Young - $1,154,167
    LT: Jeff Backus - $1,500,000 / Jason Fox - $600,302
    LG: Rob Sims - $1,500,000 / Rokevious Watkins - $400,000
    C: Dominic Raiola - $3,400,000 / Michael Brewster - $450,000
    RG: Stephen Peterman - $2,725,000 / Leonard Davis - $950,000
    RT: Gosder Cherilus - $3,215,000 / Johnny Culbreath - $562,950
    TE: Brandon Pettigrew - $2,062,500 / Tony Scheffler - $2,050,000 / Ladarius Green - $450,000
    WR2:Nate Burleson - $4,516,250 / Terence Toliver - $450,000 / Maurice Stovall - $465,000

Defense:
  • RDE: Lawrence Jackson - $915,000 / Willie Young - $506,000
    DT: Ndamukong Suh - $13,585,000 / Sammie Hill - $1,417,000
    DT: Corey Williams - $3,100,000 / Nick Fairley - $2,247,000
    LDE: Cliff Avril - $8,000,000 / Jarvis Moss - $1,500,000 / Donte Paige-Moss - $400,000
    OLB: DeAndre Levy - $987,000 / Lavonte David - $500,000 / Doug Hogue - $510,000
    MLB: Stephen Tulloch - $4,000,000 / Ashlee Palmer - $700,000
    OLB: Justin Durant - $3,125,000 / Bobby Carpenter - $825,000
    CB: Chase Minnifield - $1,400,000 / Aaron Berry - $415,833 / Alphonso Smith - $695,000
    S: Louis Delmas - $822,500 / John Wendling - $740,000
    S: Michael Griffin - $3,000,000 / Amari Spievey - $490,000
    CB: Chris Houston - $4,000,000 / Eric Wright - $1,500,000

Special Teams:
  • LS: Don Mulbach - $1,000,000
    K: Jason Hanson - $3,235,000
    P: Ryan Donahue - $468,333

Total Offense – 25 players, $62,744,917
Total Defense – 25 players, $58,280,333 (includes KVB cap penalty)
Special Teams – 3 players, $4,703,333

Total 53-man salary (includes cap penalties): $125,728,583
Using 51-man rule (includes cap penalties + top 51 players): $124,928,583

Overall, I feel like this mock sets up the Lions well for the future without going through a bunch of restructurings and even saving KVB's cap hit from next year. We strengthen a bunch of holes and also add to the o-line with an infusion of youth.

We still need a LT of the future, but that's one of the only things I think this lacks. I would be happy with Backus' 11 performance for another two years while we find his replacement assuming he can return to full health.