Detroit Lions' Kenny Golladay on his way to another 1,000-yard season ... and maybe a new contract

Dave Birkett | Detroit Free Press

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Kenny Golladay is 50 yards from his second straight 1,000-yard receiving season, and with four games to play, he's a virtual lock.

"You might as well put it down as 1,000 already, right?" Golladay said Friday. "I mean, I’m for sure grateful. We changed (offensive coordinators), so that means a lot. You just got to put the work in."

Golladay is having the best season of his young career despite a host of factors that might hold back a lesser player.

Not only did the Lions change coordinators this offseason, going from Jim Bob Cooter to Darrell Bevell, but they've also started three quarterbacks — Matthew Stafford, Jeff Driskel and David Blough — and are mired in last place in the NFC North with a 3-8-1 record.

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Through it all, Golladay has remained a consistent force on the Lions' offense.

He's tied for sixth in the league in receiving yards (950), tied for first in touchdown receptions (nine), and second in the NFL at 20.2 yards per catch.

Golladay had a breakout second season in 2018 with the Lions when he led the team with 70 catches for 1,063 yards and proved to be a matchup problem downfield.

"I feel like any receiver wants to come into a season, especially if you’re featured in the offense a lot, wanting to get 1,000 yards," he said. "The touchdowns are really just the cherry on top."

The real cherry for Golladay could come this offseason in the form of a new contract.

A third-round pick out of Northern Illinois in 2017, he has one year left on his rookie deal and is in line for an extension that will make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.

Currently, nine receivers have contracts that pay them at least $16 million annually, including Adam Thielen, Sammy Watkins and Brandin Cooks.

Golladay said he feels comfortable in Detroit and is "most definitely" open to signing an extension this spring, when he's first eligible for a new deal.

"I’ll let it take care of itself after the season," he said. "I definitely feel like I’ve done my part."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Read more on the Detroit Lions and sign up for our Lions newsletter.