Many people have said many things about the contract signed last week by Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. On person who has said things about the deal perhaps shouldn’t, at least not yet.
“Awesome to see that happen to a guy like him in this league,” Rams quarterback Jared Goff said Tuesday during a conference call for the American Century Championship golf tournament, via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. “Obviously, great for guys like myself and younger quarterbacks.”
If by “great” Goff means “premature,” he’s right.
Goff first needs to show that he won’t be a bust (roughly half of all first-round quarterbacks are) before he can even consider getting paid like Carr. Also, because Goff was a first-round pick, he’s signed for five total years. Which means that he’s four seasons away from the franchise-tag dance that could allow him to pile up cash and leverage by operating on a year-to-year basis. It also means that he’s probably three years away from getting an extension.
None of it matters if he doesn’t develop into the kind of quarterback the Rams would pay to keep. Based on his performance in 2016, the jury is out, at best. If the light doesn’t come on in 2017, there’s a chance the Rams will cut their losses and dig the hole for a tug of war with the 49ers, as both possibly try to land Kirk Cousins.
While that’s also premature, it’s equally as premature as Goff thinking about his second contract. His primary focus for now should be justifying his first one.