Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

Matthew Stafford doesn't sound like a quarterback who's willing to give the Detroit Lions a hometown discount on the contract extension he's expected to sign this off-season.

Stafford said after Day 2 of the Lions' off-season workouts Tuesday that he has spoken with Lions general manager Bob Quinn and coach Jim Caldwell about the possibility of a new contract, but that he doesn't have a timetable for getting a deal done.

Stafford is entering the final season of the extension he signed in 2013 and is expected to command a record $25 million or more annually on his next contract.

“I would love to (get a new deal done)," Stafford said. "I’ve had a really good time playing here, would like to be here long term. But that’s yet to be seen."

Asked how he weighs maximizing the value of his next contract with allowing the Lions enough freedom to build their roster, Stafford said he'll leave the negotiating up to his agent, Tom Condon.

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"I think that’s something for those guys to talk about and understand probably more than me," Stafford said. "I know every year teams find good ways to put good teams around good quarterbacks, you see it every year, so I’m not too worried about that. I know that the salary caps and all that kind of stuff is as malleable as you want it to be so I think you just go and try and make a good decision for not only the player but the team and go from there."

The NFL salary cap has risen more than 35% since Stafford signed his last contract in July of 2013, from $123 million that season to $167 million currently.

Stafford has a $22 million cap hit for this fall, and a $16.5 million base salary. Andrew Luck, the highest-paid player in the NFL, averages $24.6 million on the extension he signed last year.

"If that stuff’s going to get done, it’s going to get done," Stafford said. "If it’s not, it’s not. I can’t really worry about it too much. That’s why I have an agent. That’s why you hire one and let him deal with that kind of stuff. For me it’s just going about my business. I’m under contract for another year and I’ll be here trying to lead this team and be as good as we can be."

Lions general manager Bob Quinn has said the team is in the very early stages of negotiating a new deal with Stafford, but has noted several times "it takes two sides to do a deal."

Quinn spent his first 16 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots, who won their fifth Super Bowl last season with quarterback Tom Brady, who's played recently on under-market-value contracts.

"Matthew’s a quarterback that I want here and he’s a quarterback that Coach Caldwell wants here," Quinn said at the Lions' town-hall meeting for season-ticket holders last week. "It takes two sides to do a deal and we’re working towards that.”

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Stafford, 29, is entering his ninth NFL season and coming off one of the best years of his career.

He led the Lions to a 9-7 record and wildcard berth, and was playing some of his best football before injuring the middle finger on his throwing hand late in the season. The Lions lost all four of the games they played after Stafford's injury, including a wildcard playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Stafford said he did not need surgery on his finger after the season and that the digit is healed now.

"Threw today, so it feels fine," Stafford said. "I've been throwing for probably a month, month and a half now. It was after Super Bowl till it started feeling better."

As for his long-term future, Stafford, 29, held back a smile when a reporter suggested he had surpassed the midpoint of his NFL career.

That hurt a little bit. I’m still in my 20s," Stafford said.

Asked how long he envisions himself playing and if he can see himself still in the NFL in his 40s, Stafford said it's far too early to put an expiration date on his career.

"I don’t know," he said. "I think if I’m healthy and playing at a high level and winning football games, I want to play for as long as I can. As long as you guys don’t want to kick me out of here."

Tulloch to retire: Former Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch will hold a news conference Thursday in Allen Park to announce his retirement from the NFL. Tulloch was cut by the Lions in July after five seasons. Tulloch spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, his former coach in Detroit and former coordinator in Tennessee.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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