The Detroit Lions traded for quarterback Jared Goff in 2021 to receive a stronger return from the Los Angeles Rams in the Matthew Stafford deal. While Goff has exceeded expectations in Detroit, his long-term future with the organization is uncertain.
Detroit looked like an emerging playoff contender late in the 2022 season, with Goff leading the offense. He threw for over 4,400 passing yards for only the third time in his career and averaged his highest touchdown rate (4.9 percent) since 2018.
- Jared Goff contract: $30.975 million cap hit (2023), $31.65 million cap hit (2024)
Goff delivered his best stretch of football for Detroit’s second-half run. The 6-foot-4 quarterback posted a 107.5 passer rating across his final five starts, with a stellar 14-0 TD-INT ratio and he averaged 285.1 passing yards per game.
Thanks to Goff’s stellar play, Detroit finished with its best record since 2017. However, the Rams’ first-round pick landed sixth overall. With an opportunity to land one of the best 2023 NFL Draft prospects, keeping a close eye on the quarterbacks, Detroit doesn’t seem interested in signing Goff to a deal that would keep him around beyond the 2024 season.
In an interview with Justin Rogers of The Detroit News, Goff acknowledged that the Lions haven’t approached him about a contract extension. While talks aren’t imminent, Goff made it clear he is open to staying with Detroit long-term.
- Jared Goff stats (2022): 99.3 QB rating, 29-7 TD-INT, 4,438 passing yards, 65.1% completion
“It hasn’t been brought to my attention, but yeah, of course open to anything. Not up to me. I’m a player, I don’t have to make those decisions. And if I did, I would have made that decision a long time ago: Give me and all my friends all the money in the world. But I just get to play, and if that comes about, that’d be great. But we’ll see.”
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff on his interest in a contract extension
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The organization’s lack of interest in a contract extension at this time doesn’t come as a surprise. Detroit held pre-draft visits with Anthony Richardson and C.J. Stroud and there is some belief around the NFL that the Lions could draft a quarterback early.
While Goff has played extremely well over the last two seasons, he is still viewed as a quarterback with a moderate ceiling. He offers enough talent and consistency for the Lions to win the NFC North if there is great talent on the roster, but he isn’t likely enough to win a Super Bowl.
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Holding the sixth overall pick puts Detroit in a unique position for a team that won nine games last season. It can take one of the top quarterback prospects and sit them for a year, using their rookie season as an acclimation period to learn the offense and watch the work habits of a starting quarterback at the highest level.
There are certainly no guarantees of the Lions spending a first-round pick on a quarterback, but the pre-draft visits and the lack of interest in extending Goff are signs that the long-term starter for Detroit isn’t on the roster right now.