Contract Extension For Lions QB Matthew Stafford Unlikely To Happen This Offseason?

Anwar Richardson of MLive.com doesn’t expect to see Lions QB Matthew Stafford sign a contract extension with the Lions this offseason.

Richardson points to the fact that Stafford has two years remaining on his contract with a club option in 2015, so he’s in a position where another playoff appearance or possibly even a deep playoff run could have a big impact on his overall asking price.

The Lions previously met with Stafford’s representatives back in February, but no substantial progress was made regarding an extension.

Richardson adds that he still expects an agreement to be reached at some point in time, but not until there’s a sense of urgency from Stafford’s camp.

Stafford, 25, has a $12 million base salary this season and counts $20.3 million against the team’s cap. In 2014, he’ll make $11 million with a $19.3 million cap hit and Detroit has a $15 million club option in 2015. Given that players like DT Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson also have high cap figures, the Lions will have plenty of incentive to negotiate a long-term contract with Stafford that will provide some cap relief in the next few years.

Stafford has previously mentioned that he’s looking for “fair-market value,” but salaries for franchise quarterbacks continues to rise, which means he’ll probably command another huge contract even if he’s willing to give them somewhat of a discount.