Two games on Christmas Day marked the start of Week 17 of the 2024 NFL regular season. The Detroit Lions are well aware of the contract bonuses players may have in play in the last weeks of the season, but they also have larger team goals in mind, including finishing as the top seed in the playoffs and making it to or winning the Super Bowl. Josh Reynolds, a wide receiver with the Lions, was forced to make catches late in the regular season finale of the previous year in order to earn a $250,000 contract bonus for his 600 yards on the season. Prior to the team’s last drive, he had one reception for eighteen yards in the game, but he finished the season with 608 yards from four catches totalling 26 yards.
Following the game, head coach Dan Campbell gave an explanation of the significance of the effort made to secure Reynolds’ $250,000 bonus.
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to get him something because that player does all the dirty work for us, including blocking, run game, and selfless play,” Campbell stated. That’s the attitude. That’s all.
2 Lions players have significant contract bonuses in-play
ESPN’s Ben Baby used information from the Roster Management system to determine the contract bonuses that a number of NFL players are eligible to receive as the regular season draws to a close. Za’Darius Smith, a defensive end for the Lions, needs to take two more sacks this season in order to get paid more. “Smith needs two more sacks to earn $250,000 and reach 10 for the season.” The Lions will give him a $500,000 bonus if he manages to get four more. He will receive an additional $250,000 for the Lions securing a postseason berth if he is able to meet either incentive. To be clear, Smith needs one of his sack incentives in order to receive the $250,000 that the Lions would receive if they qualified for the playoffs.
The incentive that quarterback Jared Goff is eligible to receive is much more straightforward and will be applied to his future basic pay. “If the Lions win the Super Bowl and he has played in 50% of the offensive snaps, Goff’s 2028 base salary will escalate by $1 million.” Additionally, according to Spotrac, Goff can increase his basic pay by $1 million “for each NFL MVP honour” or the bonus Baby mentioned in 2028. It appears from Spotrac’s contract arrangement that Goff can only receive one of the $1 million 2028 pay escalators in the same previous season, not both. We’ll see whether that’s true, and Baby didn’t bring up the possible MVP escalator.