Last year, the Lions converted most of safety Glover Quin’s base salary into a signing bonus in order to create some immediate space under the salary cap.
It seems they were pleased with the results because they’ve done it again this year. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that the Lions converted $3.255 million of Quin’s $4 million salary for the 2015 season into a bonus.
The result leaves the Lions with $2.17 million in new cap space after opening the week with the least cap space of any team in the NFL. That space can go toward further additions to the roster, like the Lance Moore signing this week, or be set aside for any in-season developments that should arise. It also increases Quin’s cap hit by $1.05 million in each of the two years left on his deal, boosting the charge for him over $7 million in both 2016 and 2017.
Quin had a league-best seven interceptions last season and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.