The NFL has officially set the 2025 salary cap at $279.2 million per team, establishing key financial figures for the upcoming season. One such figure affects the Detroit Lions, who must decide on the fifth-year options for their 2022 first-round draft picks: Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams.
First-round picks can have a fully guaranteed extra year added to their rookie contracts, with costs varying based on position, Pro Bowls, and snap counts. For Hutchinson, the second overall pick, exercising his 2026 option would cost $19,872,000 due to his single Pro Bowl selection. While Detroit likely wants to extend him long-term, the status of negotiations remains uncertain.
Williams’ fifth-year option would cost $15,493,000 since he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl or met playing time thresholds. Coming off a 1,000-yard season, his 2026 cap hit would rank 15th among NFL receivers—between Brandon Aiyuk ($16.2M) and Allen Lazard ($13.2M). However, 11 of the 14 receivers above him have cap hits exceeding $23M, with Tyreek Hill leading at $51.9M.
The Lions have until May 1 to decide on both players’ options.