Dan Campbell: I don't see Lions making a major trade, but cap space gives us options

Just before the regular season started, the Lions created $35 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contracts of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and tackle Penei Sewell. What they’ll do with that cap space remains to be seen.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked today if the Lions will make a major acquisition, such as trading for an All-Pro player this season, and he downplayed that possibility.

“I don’t see that. I would say this, though: It gives us options. Whether that be our own guys or — it just gives us flexibility,” Campbell said. “There’s a lot that can happen.”

The Lions may have no such plans now, but as the trade deadline approaches, it’s easy to see them making an aggressive move if they think there’s one available player who could put them over the top as Super Bowl contenders. Or it may be that the Lions will use some of that cap space to extend some of their younger, lower-paid players.

Teams can carry over unused cap space to the following season, so the Lions could decide not to spend the money and increase their cap space next year instead. As Campbell knows, it’s good to have options.