The Detroit Lions are optimistic that they will get an extension done with Ndamukong Suh before the start of free agency.

"I think this will get done on the eve of free agency or the eve of the start of the new league year, which is when free agency starts," general manager Martin Mayhew said. "Or some time shortly after the start of the new league year. That will be a good timetable for it.

"If it doesn't get done, we're fine with that. We can create some space and we have some room under the cap and the cap went up a little bit, as you guys probably heard. There's not going to be any type of setback or cap crunch or that type of thing if we don't get something done with him in the near future. But I do expect something to get done with him."

NFL free agency opens March 11.

Suh has a current cap number of $22.4 million entering the final year of his five-year contract.