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          NFL Nation

          A look at the Lions OL cap since 2010

          • Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff WriterMay 2, 2014, 03:00 PM ET
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              Michael Rothstein is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Rothstein covers the Atlanta Falcons. You can follow him via Twitter @MikeRothstein.
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          Of all the position groupings we've already looked at in terms of salary-cap numbers and percentages, the way the Lions have handled the offensive line has been the most intriguing.

          Using the time frame from 2010, the Lions have actually spent less in the past two seasons on the offensive line than they did in the three before that and it is very easy to argue that the Lions' offensive line in 2013 -- and, theoretically, 2014 -- will be better than what the team was paying for from 2010 to 2012.

          Why?

          A combination of retirements (Jeff Backus) and high-priced contracts coming due and not being renewed (Gosder Cherilus and Stephen Peterman) left Detroit with a lot of cheaper, younger linemen. They also, thus far, have turned out to be better.

          Should the Lions continue to hold on to last year's rookie offensive line class of Larry Warford and LaAdrian Waddle, the amount of money the team spends on the line will once again rise. If you're looking for a reason why Detroit could be good in 2014, it could start here, where the team is not yet paying a lot of money for talent on the line, meaning they could spend more on skill position players and on defense.

          A reminder, numbers are from ESPN Stats & Information and in years other than 2014, these numbers reflect the end-of-season roster.

          Prior cap studies: Running back; Wide Receiver; Tight end

          2014

          Total numbers: $12,322,683 (cap value); 18.96 percent (offensive cap percentage); 8.90 percent (total cap percentage); $9,631,700 (cash value).

          By players:

          • Rob Sims: $3,775 million (cap value); 5.81 percent (offensive cap); 2.73 percent (total cap).

          • Riley Reiff: $2,180,100 (cap value); 3.35 percent (offensive cap); 1.57 percent (total cap).

          • Corey Hilliard: $1.9 million (cap value); 2.92 percent (offensive cap); 1.37 percent (total cap).

          • Dominic Raiola: $1.5 million (cap value); 2.31 percent (offensive cap); 1.08 percent (total cap).

          • Larry Warford: $714,250 (cap value); 1.10 percent (offensive cap); .52 percent (total cap).

          • LaAdrian Waddle: $498,333 (cap value); .77 percent (offensive cap); .36 percent (total cap).

          • Rodney Austin: $495,000 (cap value); .76 percent (offensive cap); .36 percent (total cap).

          • Darren Keyton: $420,000 (cap value); .65 percent (offensive cap); .30 percent (total cap).

          • J.B. Shugarts: $420,000 (cap value); .65 percent (offensive cap); .30 percent (total cap).

          • Sherman Carter: $420,000 (cap value); .65 percent (offensive cap); .30 percent (total cap).

          2013

          Total numbers: $13,221,451 (cap value); 22.32 percent (offensive cap); 12.63 (total cap); $10,147,468 (cash value).

          By players:

          • Sims: $3.425 million (cap value); 5.78 percent (offensive cap); 3.27 percent (total cap).

          • Raiola: $3,012,500 (cap value); 5.09 percent (offensive cap); 2.88 percent (total cap).

          • Reiff: $1,816,750 (cap value); 3.07 percent (offensive cap); 1.74 percent (total cap).

          • Jason Fox: $1.323 million (cap value); 2.23 percent (offensive cap); 1.26 percent (total cap).

          • Hilliard: $980,000 (cap value); 1.65 percent (offensive cap); .94 percent (total cap).

          • Leroy Harris: $937,500 (cap value); 1.58 percent (offensive cap); .90 percent (total cap).

          • Dylan Gandy: $620,000 (cap value); 1.05 percent (offensive cap); .59 percent (total cap).

          • Warford: $579,250 (cap value); .98 percent (offensive cap); .55 percent (total cap).

          • Waddle: $408,333 (cap value); .69 percent (offensive cap); .39 percent (total cap).

          • Austin: $119,118 (cap value); .20 percent (offensive cap); .11 percent (total cap).

          2012

          Total numbers: $22,771,263 (cap value); 36.65 percent (offensive cap); 18.88 percent (total cap); $22,005,660 (cash value).

          By players:

          • Raiola: $5,417,460 (cap value); 8.69 percent (offensive cap); 4.49 percent (total cap).

          • Gosder Cherilus: $3,969,960 (cap value); 6.37 percent (offensive cap); 3.29 percent (total cap).

          • Stephen Peterman: $3,282,960 (cap value); 5.27 percent (offensive cap); 2.72 (total cap).

          • Sims: $3,079,960 (cap value); 4.94 percent (offensive cap); 2.55 percent (total cap).

          • Jeff Backus: $2,354,340 (cap value); 3.78 percent (offensive cap); 1.95 percent (total cap).

          • Reiff: $1,453,400 (cap value); 2.33 percent (offensive cap); 1.21 percent (total cap).

          • Hilliard: $1,264,960 (cap value); 2.03 percent (offensive cap); 1.05 percent (total cap).

          • Gandy: $1,004,960 (cap value); 1.61 percent (offensive cap); .83 percent (total cap).

          • Fox: $655,263 (cap value); 1.05 percent (offensive cap); .54 percent (total cap).

          • Bill Nagy: $288,000 (cap value); .46 percent (offensive cap); .24 percent (total cap).

          2011

          Total numbers: $21,474,971 (cap value); 33.93 percent (offensive cap); 18.35 percent (total cap); $21,234,967 (cash value).

          By players:

          • Backus: $6,723,178 (cap value); 10.62 percent (offensive cap); 5.75 percent (total cap).

          • Raiola: $4,412,500 (cap value); 6.97 percent (offensive cap); 3.77 percent (total cap).

          • Peterman: $3.028 million (cap value); 4.78 percent (offensive cap); 2.59 percent (total cap).

          • Sims: $2.725 million (cap value); 4.31 percent (offensive cap); 2.33 percent (total cap).

          • Cherilus: $2.145 million (cap value); 3.39 percent (offensive cap); 1.83 percent (total cap).

          • Gandy: $835,000 (cap value); 1.32 percent (offensive cap); .71 percent (total cap).

          • Fox: $560,302 (cap value); .89 percent (offensive cap); .48 percent (total cap).

          • Hilliard: $525,000 (cap value); .83 percent (offensive cap); .45 percent (total cap).

          • Johnny Culbreath: $273,933 (cap value); .43 percent (offensive cap); .23 percent (total cap).

          • Leonard Davis: $247,058 (cap value); .39 percent (offensive cap); .21 percent (total cap).

          2010

          Total numbers: $24,318,624 (cap value); 33.36 percent (offensive cap); 21.30 percent (total cap); $24,570,553 (cash value).

          By players:

          • Backus: $8,773,176 (cap value); 12.03 percent (offensive cap); 7.68 percent (total cap).

          • Cherilus: $4,585 million (cap value); 6.29 percent (offensive cap); 4.02 percent (total cap).

          • Raiola: $3,412,500 (cap value); 4.68 percent (offensive cap); 2.99 percent (total cap).

          • Peterman: $2.528 million (cap value); 3.47 percent (offensive cap); 2.21 percent (total cap).

          • Sims: $2.376 million (cap value); 3.26 percent (offensive cap); 2.08 percent (total cap).

          • Gandy: $1.176 million (cap value); 1.61 percent (offensive cap); 1.03 percent (total cap).

          • Hilliard: $545,000 (cap value); .75 percent (offensive cap); .48 percent (total cap).

          • Fox: $430,302 (cap value); .59 percent (offensive cap); .38 percent (total cap).

          • Trevor Canfield: $225,000 (cap value); .31 percent (offensive cap); .20 percent (total cap).

          • Donald Thomas: $139,411 (cap value); .19 percent (offensive cap); .12 percent (total cap).

          • Tony Ugoh: $128,235 (cap value); .18 percent (offensive cap); .11 percent (total cap).