Detroit Lions Coach Dan Campbell made it pretty clear he wants Jared Goff around long-term.

Detroit Lions Coach Dan Campbell refused to get into the details of contract negotiations with quarterback Jared Goff, but at the same time, he said everything that needed to be said during his Wednesday press conference.

“I don’t want to get into contract talk, what we have (negotiated), what we haven’t. All I can tell you is he’s playing at a high level, and he needs to be with us.”

He needs to be with us.

It’s clear the Lions are all in with Goff, and it’s easy to see why. Since Week 9 of 2022, look at Goff’s statistics: 4,152 yards, 7.7 Y/A, 28 TDs, 4 INTs, 104.3 passer rating. If those 16 games all came in one season, it would have been his best statistical season to date.

So when Goff was asked on Wednesday if he’s playing better football than even his Pro Bowl seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, it should come as no surprise that his answer was short and simple:

“Yeah, yeah. Much (better).”

Campbell clearly agrees.

“He’s playing at a very high level,” Campbell said. “He’s making the throws that are there, he’s seeing the field, and he’s exactly what we need and he’s doing exactly what we’re asking him to do. But I’ve said this before, he is an evolving quarterback. He’s developing, he’s been developing and he just keeps getting a little bit better, little bit better.”

There’s not necessarily any urgency in getting a new contract done with Goff. His current Deal expires at the end of the 2024 season, but it’s fair to wonder if the Lions quarterback won’t want to play on that final year of his contract. Though he’s due a $5 million roster bonus, his $22 million salary currently ranks ninth for 2024, and his $31.7 million cap his ranks 11th.

It’s unclear what Goff’s agents will be seeking in a contract, both in terms of length and value he’s seeking, but recent deals will likely be used as an anchor. This offseason, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones received a four-year, $160 million deal with $92 million guaranteed, and Joe Burrow got a five-year, $275 million contract with over $146 million guaranteed. That’s a wide range, but it’s fair to say Goff’s deal falls somewhere in between.

Will the Lions try to get a deal done mid-season? Will they wait until the end of the year or beyond? How close are they to a deal now?

Unfortunately, we don’t know the answers to those questions, but it’s clear that if it were up to Campbell, he’d make sure a deal gets done.