Everyone is aware of the stakes for Sunday’s crucial game in Detroit. The winner between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will claim the NFC North title, secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, earn home-field advantage, and secure a first-round bye. The losing team will be relegated to the No. 5 seed and will have to face a road game against either the Rams, Buccaneers, or Falcons.
Beyond the team objectives, players also have personal incentives outlined in their contracts, which they are striving to achieve. Week 18 presents their last chance to fulfill those incentives and earn some extra money.
Thanks to Spotrac, we can highlight some of these player incentives for the Lions and what’s at stake for them on Sunday night.
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith has a contract that rewards him with $250,000 for reaching ten sacks, $500,000 for 12 sacks, and $750,000 if he hits 14 sacks. These values are doubled with a playoff appearance. If Smith records two sacks on Sunday, he will earn an additional $500,000.
Defensive tackle DJ Reader is currently at 46.2% of defensive snaps played this season. If he reaches 50%, he’ll earn $200,000. He also has incentives of $300,000 for hitting 55% of snaps and $500,000 for 60%, but those are unlikely achievable at this point. The 50% mark is still within reach. Reader has already earned $375,000 for three sacks and can add another $375,000 if he gets two more sacks on Sunday.
Punter Jack Fox received an extra $150,000 for making the Pro Bowl and for the Lions making the playoffs.
Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who recently returned from injury, is close to earning a $100,000 incentive. He’ll hit that mark once he plays 25% of snaps. Currently, he’s at 24.9%, so playing on Sunday will easily push him over the 25% threshold.
More news……
Ex-All-Pro edge rusher Shaq Barrett is returning from retirement, and the Lions are the ideal destination for him; a 2023 signing sheds light on how he could fit in Detroit
Earlier on Thursday, we suggested three veteran players the Detroit Lions might consider adding to their practice squad before the playoffs. Then, the situation changed. The Miami Dolphins are waiving former All-Pro edge rusher Shaq Barrett from the reserve retired list.
Barrett initially joined the Dolphins in the offseason but chose to retire to spend more time with his family. Now, he wants to return from retirement and play this season.
As we noted on Thursday, the Lions are in need of pass rushers. While they are getting pressures, they haven’t been as effective at finishing plays. Barrett could be a potential solution to this issue.
The good news is that while Barrett is subject to waivers, no team is likely to claim him. If a player is waived off the reserve retired list, they are not eligible to play that season. Barrett’s only chance to play this year is if he clears waivers and becomes a free agent. Once that happens, he would be free to sign with any team, and it’s likely that he would want to join a contender.
In this case, Barrett could sign with a team that plans to use him. While the Lions might not start him, he could be a valuable addition to their rotation.
As for whether Barrett would be on the practice squad, that remains uncertain. The Lions would likely sign him and spend some time getting him ready, similar to what they did with Bruce Irvin last season. The practice squad could be an ideal starting point, but Barrett may prefer to be on a 53-man roster. That’s certainly possible for the Lions, as they have two open spots, with one likely going to Jalen Reeves-Maybin, though the other spot is still uncertain.
We’ll see where Barrett ends up, but this situation could unfold quickly. He could be on a roster by the end of the week.
