LIONS SIGN ALL-PRO WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN TO HUGE FOUR-YEAR, $120 MILLION EXTENSION
The Detroit Lions and superstar wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown have agreed to a new contract extension, the team confirmed on Wednesday.
As per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the new extension is a four-year deal worth more than $120 million, which would make St. Brown the league’s highest paid wide receiver, eclipsing Miami Dolphins’ All-Pro receiver, Tyreek Hill. The extension, negotiated by St. Brown’s agent, Joby Branion of Vanguard Sports Group, includes up to $77 million in total guarantees, which leapfrogs Los Angeles Rams’ Cooper Kupp’s $75 million.
CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson also reported that St. Brown’s new deal averages $28 million a year in the first three years and will pay the former fourth-round pick more than $14 million in total injury guarantees in the third year of the extension. Unlike several other comparable wide receiver deals, the third year injury guarantee for St. Brown is also likely convertible. Usually, most wide receiver deals don’t feature a guarantee of similar stature after the second year.
News of the deal comes a day before the NFL Draft is set to kick off in Detroit. The Lions hold the 29th overall pick and their fans now have more to be excited about as one of the league’s best young players is now tied to the Motor City long term.
The two-time Pro Bowl wideout was set to make $3.366 million in base salary in 2024. After outplaying his rookie contract, he now receives a much deserved payday. St. Brown has established himself as the NFC North Champions’ no.1 wide receiver over the past few years and is now locked down through the 2028 season.
The former USC Trojan set career-highs in targets, receptions, yards, and receiving EPA last season and ranked top five across the league in each category. St. Brown finished the year with 119 total receptions for 1,515 receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns. He was targeted on 29.1% of his routes and is set to attract more looks from QB Jared Goff in the future.
Born in California, St. Brown teased fans on social media after news of his extension went public with a video from Ford Field. “At Ford Field, it’s empty,” said St. Brown. “Usually, it’s rocking, I can’t wait. I’m here. Four more years. It’s up, it’s turnt. Detroit, what up though?”
Few teams have been busier than Detroit over the past couple of days. The Lions also released their brand new jerseys for the 2024 season this past weekend, alongside the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and the Houston Texans.
RAVENS EXTEND FORMER FIRST-ROUND WR RASHOD BATEMAN
The Baltimore Ravens have signed 2021 first-round wide receiver Rashod Bateman to a new contract extension, the team announced on Wednesday.
In a surprise move by the Maryland-based franchise, Bateman is now signed for the next three years as a Baltimore Raven. The former Minnesota Gopher was touted by most analysts to be a trade candidate this offseason and was even rumoured to be involved in a surprise trade by the Ravens over the next few days for 49ers’ wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. A move that is now no longer expected to materialize with the new extension.
Ravens General Manager, Eric DeCosta, who’s been a huge admirer of Bateman said in a statement released by the team regarding the new deal: “We are pleased to announce that we have extended Rashod Bateman’s contract through the 2026 season. Congratulations to ‘Bate’ and his family. This is a good day for the Ravens.”
The decision to extend Bateman’s contract preempts the need to decide on the 2021 27th overall pick’s fifth-year option, which the Ravens had until May 2nd to act upon. The fifth-year option would have likely been a guaranteed $14.345 million for the 2025 season.
General Manager Eric DeCosta was asked about Bateman’s fifth-year option during the Ravens’ pre-draft presser a couple of weeks ago and politely declined to talk about it until after the draft. “I think we’re about a month away from that decision, right?” said DeCosta. “So, that’s probably when we’ll make that decision. I’ll have more to say on that probably after the draft.”
Bateman signed a four-year, $12.6 million contract that included a $6.53 million signing bonus his rookie year and now gets paid before it expires this year. According to published NFL Draft scout, Spencer Schultz, the new extension is a team-friendly three-year, $15 million deal which pays the 6-foot, 190-pound wide receiver a little more than $5 million a year. The new extension gives Bateman a chance at a new deal by age 27.
Bateman’s fellow draftee from the 2021 draft class, WR Tylan Wallace, who is also headed into a contract year, reacted to news of the extension by writing on X: “Yessir! Congrats bro, Rashod Bateman!”
Riddled by injuries over the past few years, Bateman has had a tough start to his NFL career. The Georgia-born wide receiver has only managed 93 catches for 1,167 receiving yards and four touchdowns over three seasons and is hoping to turn things around with full health in 2024. The 24-year-old has only managed to feature in 34 games for the Ravens.
BENGALS EXERCISE FIFTH-YEAR OPTION FOR ALL-PRO WR JA’MARR CHASE
The Cincinnati Bengals have exercised the fifth-year option for wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, the team confirmed on Wednesday.
A no-brainer for the Super Bowl LVI runners up, Chase is now tied down through the 2025 season. The 2021 offensive rookie of the year is now set to make a projected $21.8 million guaranteed next year as he and the Bengals work on a new long-term extension.
An elite pass catcher and impact player, Chase was instrumental for the Cincinnati Bengals in their run to the Super Bowl in 2021 as he caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns as a rookie.
The former LSU Tiger has yet to have a season with under 1,000 receiving yards, despite missing 5 games with a hairline fracture injury in his hip in 2022. Chase finished the 2022 season with 87 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns.
The 24-year-old then went on to set a new career high in total receptions last year, registering 100 catches for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot, and weighing 201 pounds, Ja’Marr Chase has been selected as a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.