The Lions continue to pursue extensions with two key players. General manager Brad Holmes revealed yesterday that the organization has had “good dialogue” with quarterback Jared Goff and offensive lineman Jonah Jackson regarding long-term deals.
“We’ve kept open dialogue with their agents in camp and I think the transparency has been good, so we’ll see how it goes,” Holmes said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press
).
We heard earlier this offseason that the organization could consider an extension with their quarterback, although there’s not a whole lot of urgency to sign Goff right now. The veteran still has two years remaining on his contract worth around $26MM per season. Goff had one of the strongest seasons of his career in 2022, tossing 29 touchdowns vs. seven interceptions while guiding Detroit to their first winning record since 2017.
Detroit seemed to put a Goff succession plan in place by drafting Hendon Hooker in April. The rookie will begin the season on NFI while he continues to rehab from a torn ACL. The 2023 campaign will presumably be a redshirt campaign for the rookie, so Goff’s job is likely safe for at least two more seasons.
There’s a bit more urgency when it comes to Jackson, as the lineman is set to hit free agency following the 2023 season. The former third-round pick has started all 45 of his appearances since entering the NFL. Jackson earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after ranking 24th among 82 eligible guards on Pro Football Focus.
The lineman took a small step back in 2023, finishing 27th among 77 eligible guards. He missed a handful of games to begin the season with a finger injury. Back in June, we heard that the Lions were expected to engage Jackson in extension talks.