ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Though the Detroit Lions don't have a postseason berth at stake, there are other reasons for the team to play with some fire in the season finale.
A win would give the Lions back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since (1993-1995), give them a sweep of the Packers for the first time since 1991 and only help coach Jim Caldwell's job status.
But for some individuals, what happens Sunday could impact their bank accounts.
Cornelius Washington: He seems unlikely to hit his sack incentive because he'd need 3.5 against the Packers to unlock his $250,000 bonus. He enters Sunday with 2.5 sacks. He should come away from this season with some extra money, though. He's played 438 of 974 snaps this season -- 44.9 percent. If he finishes the season playing 40 percent or more of snaps, he'll make $100,000. If he hits 50 percent, which seems unlikely, he would make another $200,000 in bonuses and his 2018 salary would escalate by $500,000.
Akeem Spence: If Spence plays his normal amount of snaps Sunday, he should see his 2018 base salary take a bump. He's entering the game having played in 61.3 percent of Lions defensive snaps this season (597 of 974) and his $2.4 million base salary will see a bump of $375,000 if he finishes the season with 45 percent or more snaps played and another $375,000 if he hits 55 percent. Even if he were to play no snaps Sunday and the Lions have their average of 65 defensive snaps, he would still be at 57.5 percent. So Spence will almost certainly hit both markers, jumping his salary to $3.15 million.
Tahir Whitehead: Even if Whitehead doesn't play Sunday, he's played 88.5 percent of snaps this season (862 of 974). That should clear the 60 percent he needs to unlock a $250,000 bonus.
Darius Slay: He already hit his $550,000 escalator for 2018, bringing his base salary for next year to $2,726,269.
D.J. Hayden: He's played 41.1 percent of the snaps this season, so it's very unlikely he'll play enough snaps Sunday to reach 50 percent, which would unlock a $250,000 bonus.
Tavon Wilson: He played 520 snaps before he got hurt on Thanksgiving and entering the last game, he's at 53.3 percent of defensive snaps. He was on track to cash in on all of his bonuses and he won't hit the 65 percent marker needed to get $250,000. But if the Lions play their average defensive snaps this year of 65, he could end up barely making the 50 percent marker, which would trigger a $150,000 bonus. Barring the unexpected, he'll get the $100,000 for playing in 35 percent of snaps this season.
































