The Detroit Lions keep running into the same kind of problem: they draft well, they develop well, and then they have to decide just how many stars they can realistically keep at the top of the market.
That conversation is getting louder now with Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch both entering the final year of their rookie contracts. Brad Holmes addressed the situation for the first time since roster cuts, and he made clear the team still wants both players in Detroit.
“Those other two, we still want to keep those guys around. Those plans haven’t changed,” Holmes said.
“There’s a couple factors that we’ve still got to sort through, but in terms of us wanting those guys around, absolutely. Hopefully we can get that done.”
The issue isn’t whether the Lions value them. It’s what happens when a roster starts stacking premium contracts at nearly every corner. LaPorta and Branch are positioned to join the top tier at tight end and safety, which would add to a group that already includes some of the league’s highest-paid players at running back, offensive tackle, edge rusher, off-ball linebacker, safety, quarterback and tight end.
That kind of payroll math gets tricky fast. And if Amon-Ra St. Brown’s deal hadn’t slipped outside the top 10 at wide receiver by annual average, the squeeze would look even tighter.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted the same pressure points while discussing extension situations around the league, and he included both Lions standouts in that conversation.
“The Lions have committed more than $1 billion to a bevy of star players, and two more players who fit that mold are up for deals. As it stands, neither is poised to sign before Week 1.”
“Branch is starting the year on the reserve/physically unable to perform list due to last year's Achilles tear, but he is a top-five safety when healthy. LaPorta returned from injury, and this could be a case where an in-season deal makes the most sense. Like Branch, LaPorta has a case as a top-five player at his position.”
“Expect Detroit to make efforts to keep both. It might just take a while.”
Branch is the more complicated case. The Lions will want to see what he looks like after last December’s torn Achilles before locking him into a long-term deal, and there’s another layer here too: the on-field penalties that have followed him, including helmet-to-helmet hits and hip-drop tackles. Under current rules, those can lead to an automatic one-game suspension after three occurrences in a season.
Holmes kept things broad when he mentioned “a couple factors to sort through,” and that leaves room for all kinds of considerations beyond the financial side. But the bigger picture is easy enough to read.
Detroit can’t pay everybody forever. At some point, someone gets left out.
LaPorta makes a strong case to stay in the fold. Branch does too, at least when healthy. But if the Lions are going to draw a line somewhere on second contracts, the safest bet is that the decision gets a lot tougher with Branch than it does with LaPorta.
For a team that has leaned hard into rewarding its own, that’s the next test.
In Other News...
Lions Linked To An Aggressive Move That Would Change This Secondary
A possible cornerback shakeup is starting to hover around Detroit after a Bleacher Report analyst floated a trade idea that would send Joey Porter Jr. from Pittsburgh to the Lions. It is the kind of aggressive swing that naturally gets attention because Detroit has a clear need in the secondary after a recent roster change, and Porter would immediately become one of the most intriguing answers on the board.
The sticking point is not hard to see. The Steelers have not put a formal contract extension offer in front of Porter, and he is considering sitting out the season, which adds another layer of uncertainty to any deal. For the Lions, a move like this would almost certainly come with the added requirement of a major extension, so the fit is there in theory, but the cost could be what ultimately keeps the idea in the rumor stage. [Read more 🡒]
Two Lions Preseason Risers Are Suddenly Worth Watching In 2026
Ahmed Hassanein and Jacob Saylors spent the preseason turning practice-field momentum into something worth tracking beyond August. Hassanein, coming back from injury and adjusting to a new position, flashed enough as a pass-rusher to make his name part of the conversation around the Lions next wave of young talent, while Saylors made a case for a larger place in the offense and special teams as a backup running back and kick returner.
For a Detroit roster that is always balancing immediate expectations with long-term depth, both players now look like more than camp stories. Hassaneins development at a spot where upside matters, and Saylors opportunity after a teammates injury, give the Lions a pair of intriguing 2026 breakout candidates to keep in view as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Face Two Roster Decisions That Could Matter Right Away
The Lions are staring at a pair of immediate roster openings after recent waivers, and the timing matters with the regular season opener approaching. In situations like this, the first moves often say plenty about how a coaching staff wants to balance health, depth and special teams value before Week 1.
Detroit has some familiar practice-squad options to consider, headlined by Kalif Raymond, whose experience as a receiver and return specialist gives him a clear case for promotion. The other names in the mix are an interior lineman who has shown versatility and a cornerback with special teams potential, and the teams choices will be shaped by the injuries and depth concerns they need to cover right away. [Read more 🡒]