Interim general manager Sheldon White suggested at his introductory news conference last month that the Lions plan to build around Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson going forward, but refused to directly address their futures in Detroit.
Although Stafford's stellar play over the past three weeks has quieted speculation that the Lions will be in the market for a quarterback next offseason, Johnson's $24 million salary-cap charge looms as prohibitive for 2016.
The next general manager will have a major decision to make, as cutting Johnson would leave $12 million in dead money on the cap.