Dave Birkett | Detroit Free Press

Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press

MIAMI — Kenny Golladay's rapid rise from third-round draft pick to one of the best wide receivers in the NFL has left observers convinced of one thing: The Detroit Lions need to sign Golladay to a contract extension this offseason or risk his price tag skyrocketing even more.

“They better hurry up and pay Kenny," NFL Network analyst James Jones said Thursday at Super Bowl 54. "Very, very fast because the longer you wait to pay Kenny, the higher the price goes."

Golladay, a late addition to last week's Pro Bowl as an alternate, led the NFL with 11 touchdown catches this season and topped 1,000 yards for the second straight year.

Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports

He emerged as the Lions' No. 1 receiver in 2018, and dominated this season despite playing with three different quarterbacks. Matthew Stafford made it through just eight games because of a back injury, leaving Jeff Driskel and David Blough to finish the season.

"He’s not a 1B dude, he is a true No. 1," former Lions receiver Nate Burleson said. "You don’t find guys like that that can run the routes that he can run, but also are aggressive with their hands."

Burleson, who played the 2010-13 seasons with the Lions, compared Golladay to 11-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald.

"I actually saw him in Orlando," Burleson said. "I was down there shooting something separate and we were talking about getting that Pro Bowl call. I think he said he was actually in Miami and then he got the call and shot right over to Orlando. But it’s funny, as soon as he walked up to me, it’s like I forgot how big he is. Like when you watch him, he’s so fluid that you kind of assume he’s maybe around my height (6 feet), but he’s not. Big frame (6 feet 4), big hands, aggressive at the point of attack, and just like I told him, he needs to go get that money because they’re handing out a lot of it, and for a guy to put up the numbers that he’s put up in the last couple of seasons, it’s pretty wild, man. There’s a lot of guys that get paid for less."

John Hefti, AP

Golladay told the Free Press late in the season that he's "definitely" open to a contract extension this offseason, the first chance to Lions have to renegotiate his rookie deal.

Golladay played this season for $676,000, slightly over the league minimum, but would stand to make $15 million or more with a new contract.

Currently, just 11 wide receivers average $15 million or more annually on their deals.

"The things that separate receivers is, and why you see people with Larry Fitzgerald jerseys on and Michael Thomas jerseys on is because they make the tough catch look easy consistently, and when I look at Kenny Golladay, he might do that the best in the National Football League right now," Jones said. “Like whenever the ball’s in the air, I feel like, ‘Oh, Kenny’s coming down with that.’ As it’s in the air, like, 'Oh, OK, Matthew threw it over there? Yeah, Kenny’s coming down with that.'

"He's making the big-boy catch look very easy every time, and when you got a receiver like that and you’re a quarterback, he’s never covered and you’re going to continue to give him opportunities."

Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Burleson said he thinks the next step for Golladay is to become a 100-catch receiver. Golladay caught 65 passes this season and hauled in 70 balls a year ago, but Burleson said Golladay has evolved to the point that he's become "that guy that you create a game plan around."

"The smart thing to do is pay him right now and get him cheap," Burleson said. "You convince a guy who isn’t up for a contract, and you say, 'Listen man, we’re going to get a little bit of a discount, but we’re going to put some money in your pocket. We’ll give you some stability, you’ll be around for a while,' and see if he takes the deal. But if you wait and he mess around and gets better, puts up more numbers, I’ll call him myself and say don’t take that money. Ask for everything and make sure they back up the Brinks truck."