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Brad Holmes on contract futures of Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell
TL;DR
Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes stated that the team has not yet exercised the fifth-year options for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell but is considering doing so. The Lions aim to sign both players to long-term extensions this offseason while retaining control through 2027.
The Detroit Lions have not yet exercised the fifth-year options on the contracts for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell but Lions general manager Brad Holmes indicated the team could do so for both 2023 draft picks.
"We haven’t yet but we’ve already had discussions about it," Holmes said Monday, April 13, in his annual predraft news conference at Allen Park.
The Lions hope to sign Gibbs and Campbell to long-term contract extensions this offseason, but can keep both players under team control through 2027 in the meantime by exercising the options on their rookie deals.
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
Gibbs has emerged as one of the best running backs in the NFL since the Lions made him the 12th pick of the 2023 draft. He's coming off two straight 1,200-yard rushing seasons, has made three Pro Bowls and set an NFL record for most touchdowns (48) in his first three seasons.
According to OverTheCap.com, the fifth-year option for Gibbs projects to cost $14.293 million. Just four running backs currently make more on a per-year basis: Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry and Kenneth Walker III.
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Bijan Robinson, the eighth pick of the 2023 draft, also is in line for a new contract this offseason.
All draft picks sign slotted four-year deal, and teams have a fifth-year option on the contract of first-round picks.
The cost of the option is based on several factors, including playing time and number of Pro Bowl selections.
Lions president Rod Wood told the Free Press at the NFL's annual meeting in late March the team hoped to sign Gibbs, Campbell and 2023 second-round picks Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta to contract extensions, and that their limited foray into free agency this offseason was due in part to cap and cash constraints they were under by planning for those deals.
Wood called Campbell's situation "unique because his fifth-year option and franchise tags get outrageous with him making the Pro Bowl and linebackers are linebackers."
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs against New York Giants during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
Because he made the Pro Bowl last season, Campbell's fifth-year option as the 18th pick of the 2023 draft projects to cost $21.925 million according to OverTheCap.com − more than Fred Warner currently makes as the NFL's highest-paid off-ball linebacker.
For purposes of calculating the fifth-year option and franchise tags, off-ball linebackers are considered to play the same position as their higher-paid edge-rushing counterparts such as Josh Hines-Allen ($28.25 million) and Brian Burns ($28.2 million).
Wood said the cost of Campbell's option year and potential franchise tag number "factors into how you want to approach his" extension this offseason.
Since Holmes took over as Lions GM in 2021, the team has exercised the fifth-year option on the contracts of all of its first-round picks − Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams − and folded that year into a long-term extension.
Teams have until May 1 to exercise the option this spring.
"The reality is if we have the right guy, the sooner you do him, the better," Wood said. "Because it’s just going to get more expensive. Running backs might be a little bit different, although what happened in free agency, Walker had a pretty big contract. And I think we got [previous extensions done with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sewell and Williams] at deals that look pretty good right now. The longer you wait, you add more information but you might be playing a lot more, which might take away your ability to do the next guy."
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Brad Holmes on contract futures of Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell
Q&A
What did Brad Holmes say about Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell's contracts?
Brad Holmes indicated that the Lions have discussed but not yet exercised the fifth-year options for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell.
When could the Lions exercise the fifth-year options for Gibbs and Campbell?
The Lions could exercise the fifth-year options for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell before the deadline, allowing them to retain control through 2027.
Are the Detroit Lions planning to extend Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell's contracts?
Yes, the Lions hope to sign both Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell to long-term contract extensions this offseason.
What is the significance of exercising the fifth-year options for Lions players?
Exercising the fifth-year options allows the Lions to keep players like Gibbs and Campbell under team control for an additional year, providing flexibility for contract negotiations.
