ESPN writer addresses key question about, and component of, Jared Goff contract extension

It's no longer a matter of if the Detroit Lions will sign quarterback Jared Goff to a contract extension, it's when. Even with a stretch of poor play after the bye week, he has had a very good season and the organization's feelings about him are clear.

It was practical for the Lions to wait to get Goff signed to a contract extension, to see if he could do what he did for a big chunk of last season again. Credit to him for pretty much doing so, and the rising quarterback market has carried his value upward in kind. Right or wrong, $45-$50 million a year is the likely going rate for Goff's new deal. An extension would likely bolster the money he sees in 2024, the final year of his current contract, in some way.

At 29 years old, Goff theoretically has a lot of good years left in his career. So getting him under contract for several more years isn't necessarily out of the question.

ESPN writer addresses biggest question regarding Jared Goff contract extension

As part of a piece talking about 10 quarterback questions around the league heading into Week 17, ESPN Lions' beat writer Eric Woodyard addressed the biggest one around an assumed new deal for Goff.

"Will the Lions extend Jared Goff after the season?

"He still has to close the regular season out strong, preferably with at least one postseason victory, but after leading the Lions to their first division title since 1993, Goff has proven he's worthy of an extension."

"A question remains, though: How long should the Lions extend Goff? Will this be a short-term extension, or something more in the four- to five-year range? Detroit did select quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round of 2023 draft as a future option. Either way, Goff is certainly the guy for right now, and it makes sense to extend the veteran, who has revived his career in Detroit and made the Lions relevant on the national stage."

The topic question Woodyard had is not a question. The Lions will extend Goff barring something unforeseen, maybe quickly once the season is over.

But it's fair to assume, to whatever extent talks have happened to this point, there has been some back and forth about the length of a new deal. Goff and his agent of course want a longer deal that locks him into significant money for possibly, as Woodyard roughly outlined, four or five years beyond next year. The Lions may not want to commit for that long, perhaps something like three years beyond 2024 with a viable out in that final year.

Goff can make a final push for the best new contract possible in the coming weeks, and how it goes with the stakes at their highest may determine how long the Lions are willing to commit to him. Until the new deal is revealed, how many years that is will be the biggest question looming over the situation.