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Lions will be without 12 of their 15 highest-paid players in Week 15

With tight end T.J. Hockenson the latest addition to the injured reserve, the Detroit Lions are now missing a major portion of the team’s 2021 salary cap. Whether it’s dead cap for players no longer on the team or guys who are sidelined with injuries, the Lions are paying a whole lot of salary cap obligation to players who cannot help them on the field in Week 15.

How much?

The Lions will be without players whose cap obligations total $120.8 million when they face the Arizona Cardinals in Ford Field in Week 15. The total NFL salary cap for 2021 is $182.5 million.

Dead cap: $65.084 million

Injured reserve: $49.007 million

Reserve/COVID-19: $6.795 million

Based on the figures from Over The Cap, the Lions will be without 12 of their 15 highest-compensated players. Only QB Jared Goff, RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai and LT Taylor Decker will be in uniform.

The players on the payroll the Lions will be without in Week 15, in order of 2021 salary cap commitment:

Trey Flowers - $19.989 million (injured reserve)

(AP Photo/Matt Durisko)

Matthew Stafford - $19 million (dead cap)

(AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

Jeff Okudah - $7.62 million (injured reserve)

(AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Justin Coleman - $6.09 million (dead cap)

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Trufant - $6 million (dead cap)

(AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

T.J. Hockenson - $5.58 million (injured reserve)

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Jamie Collins - $5.53 million (dead cap)

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Romeo Okwara - $4.5 million (injured reserve)

(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

Jesse James - $4.29 million (dead cap)

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Frank Ragnow - $4.07 million (injured reserve)

(Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Chase Daniel - $3 million (dead cap)

(AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Tyrell Williams - $3 million (injured reserve)

(AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)

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