Combine buzz sets bar for Amon-Ra St. Brown contract extension a little higher

Amon-Ra St. Brown looked like a potential steal in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Detroit Lions got it when they took him in the fourth round. All he's done is improve his numbers each year, ranking fifth in receptions (315), eighth in receiving yards (3,588) and 13th in receiving touchdowns (21) over the last three seasons.

In 2023, St. Brown finished tied for second in the league in receptions (119), third in receiving yards (1,515) and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (10).

Being a fourth-round pick also means St. Brown is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he's going to get paid big in next contract. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press most recently reported the Lions and St. Brown's representatives were set to ramp up contract talks this past week in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. So momentum may be quickly building toward a deal.

Latest combine buzz sets bar for Amon-Ra St. Brown contract a notch higher than before

ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler compiled some recent buzz out of Indianapolis as the final day of on-field workouts loomed.

Per Graziano, the Lions and St. Brown have been working on an extension that "some think could land in the range of $26-$28 million per year."

Spotrac's projected market value for St. Brown is $26.3 million, with a four-year, $105.2 million deal. The current top of the wide receiver in annual average is Tyreek Hill at $30 million. Looming new deals for both Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase may exceed that, so that will push St. Brown's market value up a notch. Our extension projection for St. Brown landed at $25.5 million per year.

In any case, St. Brown deserves to be among the highest-paid wide receivers in the league and with his new contract he will be. He's an obvious core player for the Lions, with intangible value beyond the excellence he has shown on the field. Any stupid fines he gets moving forward won't be an issue.