Lions Convert Jared Goff's Salary into Signing Bonus

The Detroit Lions have gained salary-cap space by restructuring the contract of quarterback Jared Goff

In an expected move to help with the Detroit Lions' 2021 salary cap, a portion of quarterback Jared Goff's salary has been turned into a signing bonus. 

The ex-Rams quarterback was set to earn $25.325 million in base salary for the upcoming season. 

According to ESPN, "The Lions have converted $20M of Jared Goff’s salary into a signing bonus, creating $15M in cap space for 2021. This move will add $5M cap charges to Goff’s deal over the 2022-2024 season, while Detroit gets operating room for the rest of this offseason."

Prior to making the move with Goff, Detroit was right up against its maximum value of contracts at $193.9 million. 

The team's limit, which included known contracts, the upcoming draft class and dead money, was set at $197.7 million.

"His resume speaks for itself. He’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing going forward and couldn’t be more excited to have him," general manager Brad Holmes said at Goff's introductory press conference.

He added, "Just on a more personal note, when the Rams made the trade for Jared back in 2016, still remember that we’d be watching film in the draft room and Jared would walk by the draft room and he’d pop his head in there and ask if we’re looking at any Cal Bears. And so now, it’ll be pretty cool to see if he still pops in, me as a GM, and still ask if we’re looking at any Cal Bears to draft. But, I always thought that was pretty cool that he’d do that every now and then. So, again, super cool to be going through this experience and not a better person than Jared to go through this."

The Lions have converted $20M of Jared Goff’s salary into a signing bonus, creating $15M in cap space for 2021.

This move will add $5M cap charges to Goff’s deal over the 2022-2024 season, while Detroit gets operating room for the rest of this offseason.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 24, 2021

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