The Detroit Lions spent some serious money this offseason, but it’s not where a lot of teams have thrown their spare cash around. While the Lions dove into the free agent pool to sign cornerback D.J. Reed, a lot of their money was used to lock up the core of a team that has been one of the best in the NFC each of the past two seasons.
The Lions are expected to contend for a Super Bowl again this year, and their spending may not be done. Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams are two players who could have a Brinks truck backed up to their house before training camp, but one player who's already signed on the dotted line is already proving to be worth every penny as the 2025 season approaches.
Lions LB Derrick Barnes is Showing His Worth Before 2025 Season
The Lions had several names they wanted to extend during the offseason and were able to make Kerby Joseph the NFL’s highest-paid safety. But before that, they agreed on a three-year, $24 million contract extension with linebacker Derrick Barnes.
Barnes’s new contract was somewhat surprising. His 2024 season ended early when he tore his MCL and PCL in a win over the Arizona Cardinals last September, and with $16 million guaranteed, many believed it was a risk considering how many players the Lions wanted to keep in Detroit. Having said that, the former Purdue Boilermaker already showed some of his value dating back to last season.
The Lions' defense had plenty of depth at linebacker last season, and they needed all of it to earn the NFC’s best record at 15-2. While Barnes was sidelined, Malcolm Rodriguez and Alex Anzalone eventually hit the shelf with major injuries, and the unit was severely depleted despite the performance of Jack Campbell.
Barnes wasn’t on the field to ease the sting of those injuries, but he’s shown he’s capable. Lions team writer Tim Twentyman explained that Barnes’s SAM role in the defense requires him to rush the passer on the line of scrimmage, set a hard edge in the running game, and be able to play in space and cover. Those three skills rarely belong to the same player and present a value when deciding to extend Barnes.
“The role that SAM linebacker has, you see it on game film, he’s stacked off the ball, he’s on the end of the line of scrimmage, he’s walked out in the slot,” Lions senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach David Corrao explained this offseason. “That’s a lot of different jobs for one player to handle.”
Barnes also proved his worth with an upward trajectory in his first two seasons.
He appeared in all 17 games during his rookie season, making 67 total tackles with two sacks and a pair of pass deflections, and had an even better year in 2023 with 81 total tackles, a sack, five tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Pro Football Focus has also charted Barnes’s growth, giving him a 30.1 overall grade in his rookie season to a 71.8 overall grade before his injury last year.
With Anzalone seeking a new contract and Rodriguez rehabbing from injury, Barnes has a big opportunity in front of him. By starting next season next to Campbell, Barnes has the chance to validate the chance the front office took in him and show he’s worth the money next season.