The Detroit Lions are nearing the end of their regular season campaign and find themselves in the middle of an intense playoff push that seems to be slowly slipping out of reach. Even if they pull off the improbable and work their way into the postseason, it’s clear that this roster is far from being complete.

General manager Brad Holmes will have some important decisions to make in the offseason. Free-agent and draft acquisitions will get most of the attention, but it will also be crucial who he is able to keep in the building.

Edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad is having a career year in his second season in Detroit. He’s only on a one-year deal, so he’ll be a free agent after this season. While he’ll likely be looking for a significant pay increase, keeping him should be a no-brainer.

Lions have an obvious decision to make with Al-Quadin Muhammad

Aidan Hutchinson is clearly the top pass rusher on this Lions team, but they’ve lacked a second threat off the edge for years. This season, Muhammad has stepped into the role and thrived. He has ten sacks and 49 pressures, ranking second on the team in both categories.

He’s had two games with three sacks, showcasing his ability to wreck the plans of opposing offenses. Muhammad is still a limited player — he’s not an elite run defender, by any means — but his impact as a pass rusher has been undeniable this season.

After a breakout year, the 30-year-old is set to cash in when free agency rolls around. Spotrac estimates that his value will be around $8.4 million per year, a major increase from the $1.2 million he’s making this season. Still, that new contract would be a bargain if he’s able to keep up this level of production.

With plenty of other areas currently in flux, the Lions can’t afford to re-enter the pass-rushing wilderness in the offseason. They’ve found their answer at a position they’ve been searching for for quite some time. Rather than trying to save some cap space by looking for Muhammad’s replacement, why not just keep him around?

The Lions are set to have just over $5 million in cap space available in 2026. If they restructure a deal or two and cut a few players, they could free up some more room. Hopefully, some of that room will be dedicated to Muhammad. He certainly deserves it.