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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jeff Risdon

Lions renegotiate EDGE Romeo Okwara’s contract, open up cap room

Another of the Detroit Lions’ offseason questions has been answered. The Lions and veteran EDGE Romeo Okwara have agreed to a contract renegotiation that reduces Okwara’s salary and frees up cap room for 2023.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Lions cut Okwara’s salary from $14.5 million to $5.647 million on Monday. Over The Cap breaks down the new contract like this:

  • $2 million base salary (down from $14.5 million)
  • $7 million signing bonus for the new contract, spread out evenly between 2023 and 2024, which is an added void year
  • $3.5 million in dead cap room for 2024
  • $500,000 roster bonus

The move effectively guarantees Okwara will be on the Lions roster, at least through the draft and early offseason. It would cost the Lions $1.35 million more to cut him prior to June 1st than it would to keep him on the active roster. After June 1st, the Lions would save a little under $2.15 million in cap room if they moved on from the seven-year vet, again per Over The Cap’s breakdown of the new contract structure.

It’s a similar move to how the Lions handled fellow veteran EDGE Charles Harris a week ago. Like Okwara, Harris accepted a lower contract to stick with Detroit and help the team free up cap space.

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