Looking at what Jared Goff’s next contract could look like with Rams

The Los Angeles Rams will likely be locking up Jared Goff to an extension in the next 12 months, so let’s take a look at what a potential contract could look like.

With the signing of Carson Wentz to a long-term extension for the Philadelphia Eagles, the questions started flying last week about a potential contract extension for Jared Goff from the Los Angeles Rams.

The players, as the first two picks in the 2017 draft, are forever linked, and all signs point to them continuing to develop into two of the top quarterbacks in the league for years to come.

Wentz’s contract gives us a glimpse into what a Goff extension could look like, despite the Rams saying they will likely wait until next offseason.

With the Eagles, Wentz signed a four-year, $128 million extension, which averages out to $32 million per year. That is a major jump over the $6.6 million per year average on his rookie contract.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind moving forward in regards to Wentz.

First, this season is the last year of his original four-year rookie contract, with a base salary of $720,000 and $7.6 million in bonuses. Next season is the fifth-year option teams have, that will pay him $18.6 million, still much less than the $32 per year the new contract will pay him.

All of this to say that signing Wentz early means that the Eagles can spread the money out over six years rather than four, and averages out to about $26 million per year in that interim.

It also puts money in Wentz’s hands earlier. Likewise, the Rams have Goff on a team friendly rookie deal right now, with the fifth-year option next year.

But by contrast, the Rams seem to want to wait until next offseason to lock Goff up. Two reasons come to mind as to why that might be.

First, the Rams are tight on cap space right now, with only about $5.9 million in cap space for this year.  By contrast, they are currently scheduled to have over $52 million in cap space next year, without figuring in any salary cap increase.

This is largely due to the expiring contracts of players like Andrew Whitworth, Michael Brockers, and Dante Fowler Jr.

Secondly, the team would never admit this, but there is a chance they are giving Goff another year to see if he has what it takes to be the franchise quarterback for the team.

Despite leading them to the Super Bowl, he played pretty terribly in the game.

Could Sean McVay draft a youngster to build a team around, or bring in a veteran? I would say it is unlikely, but stranger things have happened in the NFL.

When the time comes for Goff to sign, it will most likely be a bigger contract than Wentz just signed. That may seem shocking, considering that by any eye test of their game, Wentz seems to be the better player. But here are four reasons why Goff’s contract will be higher.

Goff is signing later

Teams always get better deals when they sign players earlier, mainly because waiting costs more.

The closer it gets to the expiration of the contract, the higher the dollar amount goes, because the leverage the player has goes up, even up to becoming a free agent and signing with another team (look at Kirk Cousins, for example).

Goff was drafted one spot higher, and has a higher rookie contract

This means that he is negotiating from a higher number to begin with.  This is why Khalil Mack signed for a slightly higher contract than Aaron Donald, because he was drafted higher.

Despite Wentz’s better play, he has been hurt a lot

By contrast, Goff has not missed a game for injury since first winning the starting job. The best ability is availability, and Goff has come through on this.

Wentz has missed eight games over the last two years due to injuries, and continues to have questions about his back. Luckily for the Rams, Goff has no such concerns as of yet.

Goff helped Rams earn trip to Super Bowl

Despite not winning or playing well in the Super Bowl, I would have to imagine Goff’s agents play this point up a lot for a team that hopes to get back there. Goff was one of the most prominent names on the Super Bowl teams, and the Rams will be compelled to sign him.

It will be interesting to keep an eye on the Rams salary cap situation this season, and heading into the offseason, as the Goff contract news will be the hot topic for many months.

The interesting number to watch?  $33.5 million since  that’s the average per year for the Aaron Rogers contract extension he signed in August.

Does this mean Goff could surpass Rogers?  Believe it or not, I think it’s a 50/50 shot to happen, as crazy as that sounds.