The Jacksonville Jaguars have been highly engaged this offseason. They brought in quarterback Mac Jones, secured wide receiver Gabe Davis despite his inconsistency, and locked in their defensive standout, Josh Allen, with a contract extension. Despite their activity, they’re aiming for more.
Their next priority is to extend their cornerstone quarterback and former first overall pick, Trevor Lawrence. While everyone in the organization is eager to finalize this deal, including General Manager Trent Baalke, he emphasizes, “You can’t rush these decisions.”
“This week, Baalke conveyed, via team transcript, that discussions regarding a Lawrence extension have been productive. ‘We’ve had some great talks and great conversations,’ he stated. ‘I spoke with his agency again last night. We’re working, but you can’t force this stuff. I said the same thing with Josh’s situation, I said it would take some time and it did. But we’re glad it got completed when it did so we could go into this offseason program knowing that’s behind us and we can move forward. We’re working at it, we’ll continue to work at it. Ownership is involved, obviously. Coach is involved; we’re going to put our best foot forward and hope to get something accomplished here.'”
Eligible for an extension after completing three NFL seasons, Lawrence faced criticism for his inconsistent performance in his third year. In 2023, at 24 years old, he guided his team to an 8-8 record, missing one game. Lawrence completed 370 passes at a rate of 65.6%, throwing for 21 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. Despite a promising 6-2 start, the Jaguars faltered after their Week 9 bye, ending the season 3-6 and failing to make the playoffs, squandering expectations of asserting dominance in the AFC South.
The Jaguars drafted the one-time Pro Bowler in the 2021 NFL draft. He has amassed 11,770 passing yards and 58 touchdowns, completing 63.8% of his passes, and maintains a passer rating of 85 through 50 games in his brief career. Despite mutual interest in reaching an agreement, Lawrence stated that securing a deal is not his current priority.
“Conversations have indeed taken place regarding my contract status, but it’s not my primary focus,” Lawrence affirmed. “I’m fully committed to being a Jaguar for the long haul. We have a strong bond with the organization, and I’m optimistic about our future trajectory. I believe I’m continually improving, and my peak performance is still ahead of me. So, of course, a long-term deal would be fantastic. However, entering my fourth year, it’s not necessarily my final season. There are many variables to consider.”
Quarterbacks from Lawrence’s 2020 draft class, such as Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow, have secured significant extensions. Now, the spotlight is on Lawrence, and as the offseason progresses, we’ll see if an agreement can be reached between him and the Jaguars.
“So, it’s not really my focus right now,” Lawrence reiterated. “Ultimately, whether I secure an extension before this season or not, my role remains the same. My responsibility is to lead the team to victories and perform at my best to help us contend for a Super Bowl. Even with a contract extension, that responsibility intensifies – there’s added expectation and pressure. Therefore, my focus and mindset remain unchanged.”
The former Clemson Tiger is still playing under his rookie contract.
