Detroit Lions Extend League’s Top Run-Stopper Damon Harrison
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Lions have agreed to a one-year contract extension with their superstar defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison. The deal includes $12-million in guaranteed money. The extension is for one season which keeps the star under contract with Detroit until the spring of 2021.
Damon Harrison was just activated from the non-injury related list about a week ago. Snacks along with all-pro Darius Slay were both holding out for the majority of the Summer as they were each seeking a new deal. Both players decided to show up to team activities as soon as the preseason started. Slay has played plenty throughout the preseason but Snacks has yet to appear in a game. Harrison is a force inside for the Detroit Lions defense.
The team was gifted Harrison from the New York Giants for reasons that remain unknown. I mean, how can you basically send the Lions one of the top tackles in the game and basically paid for the shipping? It just continues to reveal how dysfunctional the Giants actually are. The Detroit Lions landed the tremendous run-stuffing force for merely a fifth-round pick in this past NFL Draft. Think about that; Bob Quinn landed Harrison for a fifth-round pick.
Not only did the Lions rob the Giants of Snacks, but he’s also under contract on a very team-friendly deal. He’s set to make $6.75 million this season, $9 million next year, and now $11 million in two years from now.
During the offseason Snacks lobbied for a multi-year contract extension but the Lions were reluctant to give a 31-year old defensive tackle a long-term deal with two years currently remaining. The team met Harrison halfway by extending him another year and sprinkling $12 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons.
Lions signed DT Damon “Snacks” Harrison to a 1-year, $11 million extension that now includes $12 million guaranteed between this and next year, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 21, 2019
Snacks Harrison single-handedly changed the Detroit Lions run defense when he joined the team. The Lions were getting gouged week after week allowing nearly 140 yards per game rushing to their opponents. Insert Harrison the number went from 140 to 92.
That’s a massive impact over a ten-week span. Since then the Detroit Lions added Trey Flowers, and Mike Daniels to their D-line. Those two signings will only help Harrison this season. I expect the Detroit Lions to be a top-ten defense this season, with potential to be a top-five. Harrison has led the league in each of the last four seasons with tackles by an interior lineman–incredible.
Next. Patricia’s Running A Softer Training Camp. dark
Now that the Lions have locked up the best run-stuffing defensive lineman in the NFL over the past four seasons; Darius Slay who’s under contract for two more years could be the next player to sign a one-year deal with guaranteed money attached.