Golladay Hopeful For New Deal Before Start Of Season: 'I Want To Be Here'

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Kenny Golladay has been one of the NFL's biggest bargains the past two seasons. That won't last much longer. 

Golladay is entering the final year of his rookie deal, which will pay him about $2.1 million in 2020, and he's eyeing an extension before the start of this season. He can reasonably command a salary north of $15 million per year. 

Talks with the Lions have been quiet thus far, Golladay said Monday after the club's first padded practice of training camp. He hopes they heat up in the next month. 

“Nowhere right now. But I mean, I can only control what I can control. I want to be here," Golladay said. "Really, I’m just gonna let my agent and the front office take care of that. Pretty sure something will get done."

Before the season begins? 

"Hopefully," he said. 

The Lions hope so, too. Golladay, an unheralded third-round pick in 2017, has morphed into one of the best receivers in the game. He's coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Last year he caught an NFL-best 11 touchdowns. He can stretch the field and make plays in the air like few players at his position. 

It would behoove the Lions to lock up Golladay now, before he pushes his value even higher. 

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“Each year I just want to keep going up and up,” he said. “I just want to build off last year. I feel like last year I built off the year before, and I just want to keep improving, being a better receiver, a better teammate, and really just building off last season. Coming in with an extra year under my belt with the offense with (Darrell Bevell), I feel very comfortable."

Right now, the NFL's 10 highest-paid receivers average about $18 million per year. It's about $16.75 million for the top 15. Scan the names and the production, from Julio Jones at $22 million per year to T.Y. Hilton at $13 million, and Golladay fits right in. He turns 27 in November. A five-year, $80 million deal is probably a good starting point. 

"I didn't say I'm pretty sure it will get done, I said I hope it well get done," Golladay clarified when pressed on the topic. "Haven't heard anything so far."

In a normal offseason, the deal might already be in ink. But much like Detroit's negotiations with Taylor Decker, talks have likely been delayed by questions about COVID-19, particularly how it might affect the salary cap moving forward. 
This much the Lions know: they need to keep Golladay in the fold. And this much Golladay knows: he wants to stay put. He likes catching passes from Matthew Stafford, he likes playing under Bevell. One way or another, the two sides will likely strike an agreement soon. 
In the meantime, Golladay will continue to boost his value, in a passing attack that looks poised for big things.

"Last year (was my) first year with Bev, so learning a lot of stuff on the fly a little bit," he said. "Just me knowing the offense, knowing exactly where I gotta go, then I can just play fast. If I'm playing fast, I feel like I have a little bit of an advantage."