Detroit Lions Reach $120 Million Extension With Star Player Day Before Draft; Stick It To The 49ers

The biggest contract the Lions are facing this offseason is quarterback Jared Goff. Goff is set to play in the final year of his contract during the upcoming season. The two parties are interested in an extension, but nothing has come from the smoke at this point in the offseason.

The Lions extended Amon-Ra St. Brown before the draft

The Lions made sure to keep Goff’s best target on the field for the next few seasons. According to Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, the Lions signed Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year extension worth $120 million. He’ll get $77 million of that guaranteed.

It’s a smart move by the Lions to get a new deal done now. The wide receiver market has shifted dramatically in recent years as the salary cap has expanded. No. 1 wide receivers want $30 million per year contracts this offseason, and that number is expected to climb in successive years.

The Lions made sure to get this out of the way before the Dallas Cowboys extended CeeDee Lamb and the San Francisco 49ers extended Brandon Aiyuk. With the 49ers and Aiyuk not close to inking a new deal, San Francisco might feel more pressure to trade their star wide receiver away in the draft on Thursday night. The timing of the extension is an interesting volley for a team trying to catch the 49ers, and this move has the potential to make San Francisco’s roster worse for the upcoming season.

The Lions selected St. Brown in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s far surpassed what NFL scouts thought he could be in the NFL during his first season three seasons with Detroit. St. Brown has recorded 315 receptions for 3,588 yards and 21 touchdowns in his first three years in the league.

Lions fans’ initial reaction to the extension

Here are the best takes by fans after the news came out Wednesday on St. Brown’s extension.