The Lions and Brandon Pettigrew have agreed to a reworked contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. The new deal gives Pettigrew additional security while he is on the PUP list while saving the Lions some cash once he returns to the field. 
The tight end was previously set to earn a non-guaranteed base salary of $3.65MM for 2016. Now, Pettigrew gets a $2.2MM salary split while he is on PUP with a torn ACL. However, $1.2MM of his contract is fully guaranteed. For each week Pettigrew is on PUP, he’ll earn ~$129K – or, 1/17th of $2.2MM. If and when he is brought on to the 53-man roster, he’ll earn almost $215K, which is 1/17th of $3.65MM.
Pettigrew, 31, is counted upon for his blocking ability. Although he had a decent number of targets early in his career, he has caught only 17 passes for 137 yards over the last two seasons.
When Pettigrew is healthy, he’ll serve as the Lions No. 2 tight end behind Eric Ebron. As shown on the team’s depth chart, they also have undrafted rookie Cole Wick in the mix along with Andrew Quarless, who will be suspended for the first two games of the season. The team will have to decide on fellow tight ends Orson Charles and Adam Fuehne this week.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.