GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 08: A detailed view of a Detroit Lions helmet prior to a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on January 08, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Lions defeated the Packers 20-16. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
While committing to Jared Goff for a number of years was obviously important, might the Lions have held off a bit longer to complete the deal?
The new contract for Jared Goff was the final of the three significant contract extensions the Detroit Lions completed this offseason because it was inevitably a little more intricate. The organization undoubtedly desired to finalize a deal as soon as possible, given the increasing demand for quarterbacks, while Goff’s camp might have been content to hold out for a better offer.
With his new contract, Goff is currently (and for the time being) the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL ($53 million annually). He made it apparent during his news conference on Thursday that security—including the disclosure of a no-trade clause—was more important to him than making the most of his money. To maximize cash, a record $73 million signing bonus undoubtedly stands, but that’s a different discussion.
It always seemed like a given that Goff and the Lions would work out a contract extension before the season began, if not before. Though general manager Brad Holmes made it plain that was not how he was going to conduct business, the team could have theoretically allowed him to play out the remaining year of his now-old contract, franchise tagged him for 2025, and gone from there.
Had the Lions waited to sign Goff to a long-term contract? Had they waited? It’s a worthwhile perspective to think about.
Did the Lions move too quickly to get Jared Goff’s deal done?
There’s a strong argument to be made that the Lions would be better off in the long run if they sign Goff. However, Pat Caputo of 97.1 The Ticket has adopted a different stance, arguing that even if the Lions were wise to invest in Goff’s certainty, there is still some danger.
“It is foolish to conflate the risk with that portion of Goff’s expansion. It’s a big deal, and the Lions might come to regret not doing it sooner rather than later this season.”
Though holdouts during training camp are less common now that the rules have been changed, waiting until after the season to extend Goff would have encouraged them. However, he would not have been able to attend the upcoming phase of OTAs, which begins next week. As a result, the Lions would find it more difficult to hold productive voluntary summer exercises.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has raised a few minor concerns about the Goff deal’s timing. He most recently offered a perspective that went beyond his own ideas.
And this is the genuine query that a few people in league circles have been posing. When the Lions offered Goff such a big deal, who were they negotiating against?
“Goff is the epitome of a team bidding against themselves,” according to a league insider.
“The Lions had the option to let it go. In 2025, they would have tagged Goff. The Lions are paying more than $47 million annually on a five-year contract, with a feasible guarantee of more than $148 million upon signing. They could have allowed him to go out to market and see if anyone would have offered him anything close to that amount.”
There is merit to the argument that the Lions could have, and should have, waited to complete the transaction involving Goff. However, it was never going to occur. They would not enter the 2024 season without making a commitment to him for the duration. Whether it’s correct or wrong, they place a high value on him, and the market indicated they would need to give him a sizable salary. If some other quarterback contracts were finalized, waiting much longer would have merely increased the cost.
