The Detroit Lions have indicated that they intend to sign wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a contract extension this offseason. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report projected that the extension will come fairly soon.
Ballentine predicted the Lions will sign St. Brown to a four-year, $115 million deal extension before the NFL draft. Ballentine’s prediction was made roughly two and a half weeks before the first night of the draft on April 25.
“St. Brown has been a high-volume, reliable option in one of the league’s most productive offenses over the last two years,” Ballentine said in a statement. “He achieved new career highs last season with 119 receptions, 1,515 yards, and ten touchdowns.
“Both parties should be driven to complete things promptly. As a Day 3 choice, St. Brown has financial ground to make up, and the Lions will struggle to replace his role if he goes.
St. Brown qualified for the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023 after recording over 100 catches and 1,100 receiving yards in each of the previous two seasons. In 2023, he made new career highs with 119 receptions, 1,515 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns.
With those numbers, he made first-team All-Pro.
Clearly, he deserves a wage boost. St. Brown has only received $3.2 million over his first three seasons. His signing bonus alone on his next contract will be significantly greater than that amount.
Will Amon-Ra St. Brown’s contract be extended soon?
With St. Brown’s contract predicament in Detroit, it’s more of a matter of when than if.
There’s not much time till the NFL draft. So Ballentine’s prediction means that St. Brown will sign a new contract within the next two weeks.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano claimed on March 3 that the Lions and St. Brown were “working on an extension” worth $26-28 million per season.
If St. Brown earns the contract Ballentine predicted, he will earn $28.75 million per year.
This would give St. Brown the second-highest average annual compensation among all NFL wide receivers. Tyreek Hill, the Miami Dolphins wideout, earns an average annual salary of $30 million.
When Will QB Jared Goff’s Contract Be Extended?
One probable impediment to St. Brown’s extension may have nothing to do with him. In addition to the All-Pro receiver, the Lions have expressed an interest in signing quarterback Jared Goff to a contract extension this offseason.
Before signing St. Brown to a new contract, Detroit should make sure Goff has a deal in place.
On March 8, Jared Ramsey of the Detroit Free Press stated that a Goff extension may be announced “any day now.” But it has yet to happen.
On March 24, Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports speculated that given recent precedent, the Lions may sign Goff after the draft.
“But when the Lions needed to get a major extension done with Frank Ragnow, they didn’t get it done until May 6th,” Payton said in a statement. “That $54 million contract deal made Ragnow the highest-paid center in NFL history at the time.
“That shows the Lions have a history of taking their time with big stuff like this.”
The Lions do not need to sign Goff first. They may strike a contract with St. Brown before the draft and then sign Goff after.
However, if they chose to extend Goff before his receiver, it appears that St. Brown will not earn his new contract until after April.
