What is Jared Goff's contract breakdown?
On Saturday ESPN's Adam Shefter broke the news stating that the Los Angeles Rams will be sending Jared Goff and a third-round pick in 2021, a first-round pick in 2022, and a first-round pick in 2023 in exchange for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. The deal cannot be 100% completed until the new NFL calendar year begins on March 17th.
This may have come as a surprise to Goff and the Los Angeles Rams' fan base as Jared Goff helped lead the team to the Super Bowl in 2018. Looking at the trade itself, the Detroit Lions got the better end of the stick. They got two future first round picks and another third round pick this year.
Detroit also got a quarterback that is seven years younger than Stafford. Los Angeles Rams are desperate to win now. After failing to make the playoffs in 2019 and being knocked out by the Packers in 2020, the seat could be getting hot for their young Head Coach Sean Mcvay.
Matthew Stafford is the better of the two quarterbacks and wanted to be traded to a contender. The Rams give Matthew Stafford everything he wants but can he give the Rams what they want? That is something we will not find out until Week 1 of the 2021 NFL Season.
One big question that is coming out about the trade is how does Jared Goff's contract breakdown. Does his contract put the Lions at risk for signing free agents? Lets take a look at how Jared Goff's contract breaks down and if it will impact the Lions in the 2021 NFL Free Agency period.
How does Jared Goff's NFL contract break down
On September 3rd, 2019 Jared Goff signed a 4-year $134 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams. Detroit did the Rams a huge favor by taking Jared Goff's contract off their books. In 2021 the Lions did free up $14 million in cap space by trading Matthew Stafford.
They will consume the $27.825 million cap hit from Jared Goff's contract. Taking the $14 million they saved from Stafford and the $27.825 million that they consumed from Goff, they added a total of $13.825 million to their salary cap for the 2021 NFL Season.
In 2022 the Detroit Lions could pay Goff a good chunk of change if they decide to keep him as their quarterback. If Jared Goff remains on the Detroit Lions roster for 2022, the Lions will take a $25.5 million hit on their cap. If the Lions were to cut Jared Goff they would save $10 million and just have to pay him the $15.5 million for being on the roster that was already guaranteed.
Things get easier for the Lions in the 2023 and 2024 NFL Seasons. If the Detroit Lions decide to keep Goff in 2023 they will take a cap hit of $25 million. If they cut Goff they do not suffer a cap hit. The only difference in 2024 is that the Lions would pay him $26 million if he stays. If they cut him, they owe him nothing.
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