Viewed from one perspective, the Detroit Lions’ delay in reaching a contract extension with quarterback Jared Goff might raise some concerns. However, in a more pragmatic view, it was expected that negotiations would wait until after the draft regardless. Securing Goff’s future with the team is clearly a priority for this offseason, and Goff himself has expressed his desire to remain with the Lions. It’s merely a matter of finalizing the details, and that time will come.
The potential cost of Goff’s contract extension is gradually increasing, as is typical in the quarterback market. The recent substantial deal received by Kirk Cousins from the Atlanta Falcons has been identified by Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports as a potential influencing factor in the discussions between the Lions and Goff. Mike Valenti of 97.1 The Ticket has suggested that Cousins’ contract terms (four years, $180 million) could serve as a possible blueprint for Goff’s new contract.
Robinson has set the bar slightly higher for Goff compared to Cousins’ deal.
“The Cousins deal with the Falcons is going to impact the negotiations for Goff’s extension. Not only is Goff younger at 29, but he has also had significantly more success in the postseason compared to Cousins. What was previously speculated to be a potential $50 million per year contract for the Lions quarterback is now essentially guaranteed.”
New Jared Goff contract projection confirms price Lions will pay to keep him
In a recent analysis by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, several quarterback contract extension candidates were highlighted, with Goff being a notable inclusion on that list.
In Detroit, Jared Goff’s trajectory has defied initial skepticism following the Matthew Stafford trade. Once questioned as merely a bridge quarterback, he’s since proven himself indispensable to the Lions. Embraced by fans, his contributions nearly propelled the team to the Super Bowl last year. The Lions are fully committed to Goff, positioning him as their long-term solution at quarterback.
According to Meirov’s projections, factoring in recent deals for Dak Prescott and Tua Tagovailoa, Goff is anticipated to become the seventh-highest-paid quarterback in the league based on annual average, reaching around $49 million. With the ongoing trend of escalating quarterback salaries, discussions now revolve around the possibility of Goff commanding close to $50 million per year. Unless the Lions have alternative plans for the quarterback position, they appear poised to invest heavily in Goff beyond the 2024 season.
