It has taken a while for new Lions general manager Bob Quinn to talk with Calvin Johnson.
The pair has met, but nothing has been decided.
Quinn met with reporters at the NFL Combine on Wednesday, and faced multiple questions about Johnson's future.
“I don’t have any expectations. We had a good conversation. He didn’t tell me if he was leaning one way or another. We’re giving him time to make that decision," he said.
Johnson has been mulling options for his career, including retirement, for months. The Lions are not forcing him to make a decision.
The 31-year-old wide receiver is owed $16 million this season, with a cap hit of $24 million. If he retires or the Lions cut him, they would save $11.1 million toward the salary cap.
“The salary that he has... that’s something that’s going to take into effect: What kind of plans we can do, how flexible we can be with the type of players that we’re going to look for to add in free agency. So that’s all part of the puzzle. My job is to put that puzzle together."
Quinn said the Lions staff has not talked about what to do with Johnson's salary.
"If that does come down the road, we may talk about it, we may not. We haven’t even broached that topic yet, internally or externally," Quinn told reporters.
Restructuring the contract should be an option for the Lions, but clearly, only if Johnson is willing to negotiate. Quinn wouldn't reveal any thoughts the front office had about Johnson's 2016 future.
Brad Galli is a sports anchor and reporter for WXYZ Detroit. Follow Brad on Twitter @BradGalli
