The NFC championship game loss is still fresh, but the NFL goes on, and the offseason has officially begun for the Detroit Lions. The biggest order of business for the team in the coming months is a possible contract extension for quarterback Jared Goff.
The veteran signal caller addressed questions on the subject on January 29. But Goff implied he will be taking a hands-off approach to the likely upcoming negotiations.
“In regards to my future, it’s not up to me,” Goff told the media. “I love this place. We’ll see what happens as time goes on here. But yeah, I love this place, love Dan [Campbell], love all the coaches, love all my teammates.
“[But] It’s out of my hands in some ways. It’s up to my representatives and obviously the people upstairs.”
Goff has one year remaining on his current contract. According to Spotrac, he will have a base salary of $21.65 million in 2024 and count as a $31.65 million cap hit.
He is scheduled to then become an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
Lions’ Jared Goff Reflects on Time in Detroit
The veteran quarterback couldn’t have made it more clear how much he has enjoyed playing in Detroit — his second NFL home.
Goff suggested that he loved the place even before the playoffs. But the team’s postseason run, with two of the games taking place at Ford Field, made his connection with the team and city even stronger.
“The last three weeks or however long, it’s really been longer than that,” Goff told the media. “But since the playoffs started and we were able to win that game at home (against the Rams) and to see the fan’s response, not only for me, but for our whole team, has been so special.
“It’s something I’ll never forget. Obviously, the season didn’t end how we had hoped. Last night was disappointing. But in particular those two home games in the playoffs were as special and electric of an environment as you can imagine. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.”
Goff’s play in those two games was special too. He posted a 74.3% completion percentage and 8.1 yards per pass with 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the two home playoff victories.
But even though it was special, it doesn’t sounds like Goff will be taking a discount to stay.
“It’s just how the league goes,” Goff said in response to a question about how important is it to receive a fair market deal. “If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But I think I’ve loved every second of my time here and would love more.
“Again, I’ll echo what I just said. I love Dan, I love the coaches, I love the players here and my teammates. Yeah, it would great, but it’s not up to me.”
Projecting Goff’s Next Contract With Lions
In all likelihood, offering Goff a contract extension is going to be expensive.
Spotrac’s general prediction had Goff’s market value at $149.85 million on a 4-year contract. But Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti projected Goff to receive a 5-year extension, bringing the total value of the deal to $210 million.
Ginnitti made that projection on November 13. But by winning two playoff games, Goff may have only raised his value.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport didn’t mentioned a specific amount. However, on January 28, he reported that the Lions are expected to offer Goff a contract that will make him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
According to Spotrac, there are four quarterbacks who make more than $50 million on an average annual basis. Furthermore, there are nine signal callers with a contract that has a total value of more than $200 million.
Ginnitti’s projection would place Goff ninth in both total contract value and average annual salary among all quarterbacks.
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Lions’ Jared Goff Opens Up on Potential Contract Extension: ‘Not Up to Me’