If last season didn't make it clear enough, their decisions to start the offseason proved that the Detroit Lions were 100 percent committed to Jahmyr Gibbs. They sent David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, and while they signed Isiah Pacheco, he's not much of a threat to take many touches from their speedy running back.
Now, after watching Kenneth Walker III get $9 million per year with the Kansas City Chiefs, and the current state of the running back market, Gibbs should be quite excited about an impending, very lucrative contract extension.
Jahmyr Gibbs Will Reset the Running Back Market
The Lions would've never considered moving on from Jahmyr Gibbs or finding a replacement in this year's NFL draft. Even if they had, this class isn't deep at the position, and they won't have a shot at Jeremyiah Love.
The free agent class of 2027 features Breece Hall and Jonathan Taylor, but Gibbs might be a better player than the former, and there's no way the Indianapolis Colts will allow the latter to test the market. As such, all roads lead back to Gibbs and his extension.
He shouldn't be in much of a rush to put pen to paper, given that De'Von Achane and Bijan Robinson are also due for extensions, and he'd be better off waiting for them to reset the market so he can one-up them with his deal.
As things stand now, Josh Jacobs and James Cook are tied for the record for the highest total contract value for a running back ($48 million), with Saquon Barkley having the highest annual average value ($20.6 million) and the most total money guaranteed ($36 million).
A record-breaking deal would likely put Gibbs in the $23 million AAV range, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him eclipse $45 million in total guarantees. He's one of the most disruptive offensive forces in the game, and he's just about to enter his age-24 season.
Gibbs has averaged nearly 1,800 yards from scrimmage since he entered the league. His explosiveness, quick twitch, and ability to turn the corner are second to none in today's game, and he might be the most important piece of the offense now that Montgomery is gone.
The Lions were always going to get him his money and lock him up for years to come. But given how the running back market is moving, they may have to pay him even more money than they initially thought.