Since it stands the most significant piece of offseason business left for the Detroit Lions, where contact talks are with Jared Goff has become a hot topic over the last few days. From general manager Brad Holmes hitting all the buzzwords, to alternate theories about the team's intentions to the idea he could try to reset the top of the quarterback market.
On Sunday morning's SportsCenter, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler had a fresh report regarding where contract talks are between the Lions and Goff.
"The Lions are on record that Jared Goff, signing him to an extension, is a 'high priority' so they are working on this. The feeling around the league from the people I've talked to is that Goff will be the next quarterback to score that megadeal. You've got Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, some others like maybe Dak Prescott down the road but Goff and the Lions seem to be the closest."
"Nothing imminent right now but they insist this is something they've been talking about, and the Lions are committed to keeping their core together. Amon-Ra St. Brown, kept him on a huge four-year deal, right tackle Penei Sewell four-year deal, so Goff could be the next with a four-year deal. The market is pretty clear, though. You're looking at $50-plus million for a lot of these quarterbacks per year. We'll see how far the Lions are willing to go."
NFL Rumors: Jared Goff expected to be next quarterback to get paid
Goff is in position to command somewhere around $50 million per year on his new contract. That's just below the top of the market (Joe Burrow, $55 million per year), and would likely make him the fifth-highest paid quarterback in the league based on per year average.
Goff is, as we know, entering the final year of his current contract. He is slated to make $22.3 million in base salary ($32.3 million cap hit), and he's already earned a $5 million roster bonus. In sheer cash earnings for 2024, he is currently 17th among quarterbacks. An extension will surely change that, and boost his earnings for this year.
Fowler added that nothing is imminent between the Lions and Goff, which seems to be the general consensus narrative right now. But the idea that he'll beat Tagovailoa, Lawrence, etc. to getting paid is at least a fresher note with some presumed extra insight.