Bob Quinn

Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn has spent up on his offensive line this free-agency season.

(AP Photo)

DETROIT -- Now that new right guard T.J. Lang's contract specifics have become available, it's easier to pull the Detroit Lions into the clear when it comes to available cap space.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Lions have $8.8 million to work with for this season, according to OverTheCap.com. That's the number after Lang's $5.9 million cap hit was added to the 2017 chart.

The available cash does not include the $5.825 million Detroit will gain back June 1, when it waives linebacker DeAndre Levy. That's close to the amount the Lions will need to sign the rookies they draft with their eight selections next month.

Detroit began free agency middle of the pack in cap space before it made Rick Wagner the highest-paid right tackle in league history and outbid two playoff teams for the services of Lang. The Lions have also paid starter money to cornerback D.J. Hayden and linebacker Paul Worrilow and completed lower-level signings in defensive tackles Cornelius Washington and Akeem Spence, tight end Darren Fells and wide receiver Keshawn Martin.

Those additions have taken a hit on the remaining cash, sending Detroit to the lower tier of available cash as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Lions have also made some attempts to lower the burden for next season, though. Although they've pledged average annual salaries of $9.5 million each to Wagner and Lang, each will boast a 2017 cap hit of just $5.9 million, which rank them eighth and ninth on the Lions for next season.

Plus, the designated Levy cut helps create a secure amount to spend on the draft class.

The cap number will continue to change, and not just as the Lions add other signings. Just as they designated Levy as a cut one day after agreeing to sign Worrilow to starter money, the Lions will continue to evaluate their roster against potential alternatives. That could involve cuts or a compromise in terms of a contract restructuring.

One potential restructuring that would have a large effect on cap space for years to come is quarterback Matthew Stafford. He's in the final offseason of his deal, the time frame when franchise signal-callers usually work out their extensions. It's a conversation general manager Bob Quinn expects to have after the draft, but the current quarterback market indicates Stafford's next deal could total more than $100 million in career earnings.

Another could be defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, who holds the team's second-highest cap hit behind Stafford at $12.7 million, thanks to the fifth-year option he'll play under this season. After Ansah racked up 14.5 sacks in a Pro Bowl campaign in 2015 but dropped to just two in an injury-riddled season last year, Detroit might need the fifth year to evaluate his market value. So might the rest of the league.