This worry/clause didn't make sense to me.
He's the #1 overall pick. He's going to get a good contact for dollars, typical rookie deal. Not the insane money of old, but he knew the contact situation when he made his decision.
4 years, with team option for the 5th. That option will pay Goff something like $22m - which will only go up in the next 3 years.
So if he's good he will put himself in a position to sign an extension after year 3 or become a FA/franchise tag/extension with more leverage after year 5 coming off a year 5 season that will most likely pay him in the mid $20m range
He's not leaving that to go ride buses while working up to the majors and dealing with years of club control and arbitration
If he stinks I could see him wanting to get the jump on his MLB career..... But if he stinks, why would the Cardinals care? Recoup some bonus and move forward.
So the only great area is if he does well enough to stick, but not well enough to extend our commit to. Basically if he Tannehills or Bottles.
Even then, I don't see him leaving his first contract. It wouldn't make sense as there is good money being made and even OK QBs can get good second deals. If that deal doesn't develop then maybe pursue baseball.
In short, I don't see a reason/situation that if he can play at all that he doesn't play out his first contract - which is all the Cardinals have rights to and the only contract a no-baseball provision could apply to.
The only reason he wouldn't play it out is if he isn't good enough, in which case why force him to stay?