The Detroit Lions are spending money to keep quarterback Jared Goff happy and full, signing wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year, $120 million contract with $77 million guaranteed at signing. The guaranteed money surpasses the previous record of $75 million for a wide receiver which was held by Cooper Kupp.

As “slot receivers” and former mid-round picks, St. Brown and Kupp are both proving that many “number one receivers” are built different than they used to be.

A fourth round pick out of USC in 2021, St. Brown has been as reliable as any receiver in the league, catching 90 for 912 as a rookie, 106 for 1,161 in year two, and finally 119 catches for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023. Nobody from the 2023 class has more catches than St. Brown and only Ja’Marr Chase has more yards and touchdowns. This is the same class as Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and Nico Collins.

Many expect the Lions to soon extend Jared Goff, a “throw-in” for the Matthew Stafford trade who has now assumed the franchise quarterback role in Detroit with large thanks going to St. Brown, a top-5 offensive line, and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Not that there’s anything wrong with getting help, every quarterback wants as much as he can possibly get. And speaking of getting as much as possible, Goff could be extended for at least $45 million per season, a figure nobody would have imagined in 2021 when he was traded.