How Detroit Lions Could Handle Rising Jared Goff Cap Number

Lions salary cap situation should be okay for next two NFL seasons.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff high-fives teammates during warmups before the NFC championship game. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions have started to reward key contributors with lucrative, long-term contract extensions.

With the team's Super Bowl window open, Jared Goff's massive contract should not be a hindrance for the next couple of seasons.

In a recent episode of the Over the Cap podcast, Jason Fitzgerald explored how the 29-year-old's four-year, $212 million extension could impact the Lions plans the next couple of seasons.

“We have him down as a $69.6 million cap hit in 2026. My assumption is that is much, much, much lower. My assumption is that there is going to be four, five void years on this deal and that he will have an option in 2025. I think he’ll have an option in 2026, then he’ll have an option again in 2028. Then they’ll have just a bunch of void years on the back end," said Fitzgerald. "So I have a feeling that they’re going to defer a lot of cap charges on this one to potentially the post-Goff era. That would be my guess. But the impact that really comes from this contract, even if they do that, the impact that you’re going to look for is 2026.”

If the team needs to make a roster addition next season, the salary cap hits in 2026 could become too prohibitive to chase after a high-end free agent expecting a significant amount of guaranteed monies.

With general manager Brad Holmes being able to draft prospects who have contributed, the team will certainly continue to emphasize adding the right players in the draft and supplement team needs in free agency.

"They’re probably fine," said Fitzgerald. "If you end up having a year next year and you go all in, that’s probably more where you run into trouble.”

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