Good morning!
Here is today’s roundup of the latest news, rumors, and analysis on your Jacksonville Jaguars.
Report: Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence signs 5-year, $275 million extension (Big Cat Country)
The deal makes the 2021 No. 1 pick the highest-paid player in franchise history. Lawrence is also tied for first (with Joe Burrow) for highest annual salary in the NFL today ($55 million).
Happy Friday, Big Cat Country! Yesterday, the news dropped that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence reached a deal for a five-year, $275 million contract extension. Of course, there was a mix of feedback to the news, so for this week’s Tweets of the Week, let’s look at some reactions from social media.
Jaguars podcast: Why spacing will fix the offense (Big Cat Country)
John and I discussed the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offseason practices to date, including young players who stood out and our opinions that have shifted in recent weeks.
Source: Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence agree to 5-year, $275M deal (ESPN)
The contract includes $200 million guaranteed and $142 million at signing, the source told Schefter. Lawrence received a $37.5 million signing bonus, a source told ESPN. The deal starts in 2026, meaning Lawrence will be under contract through 2030, according to a source.
Will Trevor Lawrence’s extension lead to success for Jaguars? (ESPN)
But the Jaguars aren’t paying him entirely for what he has done so far. They’re paying him because they believe he is going to play at a level that will consistently have them in contention for a Super Bowl, especially as he grows in coach Doug Pederson’s offense.
Trevor Lawrence joins biggest active contracts in NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL (ESPN)
Lawrence’s deal joins a fellow quarterback for the highest average salary per year in NFL history. Here’s how the contract stacks up with others throughout sports.
Commentary: Look at the context, not just the number, in Trevor Lawrence’s deal (News 4 Jax)
The context in this case is the size of the NFL’s salary cap. When Burrow signed his contract in 2023, the salary cap was $224.8 million. That meant that $55 million per year would account for about 24.4% of the salary cap.
On the other hand, when Lawrence agreed to his deal, the salary cap had grown to $255.4 million. That means that his deal is only worth about 21.5% of the cap.
NFL QB Deep Dive: Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence Earned New Contract But Needs More Help (The 33rd Team)
Lawrence has yet to reach the expectations of the generational quarterback he was viewed as coming out of Clemson, but that might say as much about the expectations as Lawrence’s career to this point.
O-Zone: Plenty good enough (Jaguars.com)
Why did they sign Lawrence to such a contract? Because the Jaguars had a choice: They could either decide he was their franchise quarterback moving forward or they could tell Lawrence he had to prove he was the franchise quarterback next season. The Jaguars decided he was the franchise quarterback. Once they decided that, the only thing waiting would do was make the price rise in future offseasons. And once they decided he was the franchise quarterback, there wasn’t going to be a scenario in which he signed for less than market value. Market value for franchise quarterbacks these days essentially is mindbogglingly high. There are no discounts in that world. Was it the right move? Time will tell. But if the Jaguars were going to commit to Lawrence, and there was no doubt that was going to happen, this was the move to make.
The Mascot Hall of Fame is thrilled to announce the induction of four iconic mascots into the Class of 2024: Jaxson de Ville of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Lou Seal of the San Francisco Giants, Monte of the University of Montana, and Orbit of the Houston Astros. These beloved mascots have captivated fans with their charisma, athleticism, and unwavering dedication to their teams, earning them a permanent place in the prestigious Mascot Hall of Fame.
DB’s Coach Kris Richard Thrilled With the Hunger of the Jaguars Secondary (Jaguars.com)
Richard said perhaps the most encouraging trait of the entire secondary has been the overall “hunger” from a group he called “eager to learn and compete.”
School’s Out: Jacksonville Jaguars end summer workouts, look ahead to training camp (Times-Union)
Players will report for training camp in late July, starting the long grind to the start of the regular season in September.
“Jacksonville was a team, I was like, ‘I want to show them what I’m about,’” said Davis, who was born just north of Jacksonville in Fernandina Beach and played college football at UCF. “Because you never know what’s gonna happen. Now look what happened.”
Jaguars Eager to See Evan Engram Hit Yet Another Level (Jaguar Report)
“He’ll do anything we ask. As we go and look at our offense, attacking all parts of the field, whether it be vertically or horizontally, he’s certainly the guy that can give us that” said Taylor.
Sorting out the AFC’s middle class: Which teams can make the leap to contention? (The Athletic)
The Jaguars might be the most talented team in this muddle. Frankly, they should be better than they are, and there is no way around it.
BREAKING: Pro Bowl DE Calais Campbell expected to sign with Miami Dolphins (The Phinsider)
Campbell, 37, spent all of the 2023 NFL season with the Atlanta Falcons, starting all 17 regular season games. In those games, he recorded 6.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 10 tackles-for-loss, and 56 total tackles.
Trevor Lawrence finally has the pieces to jump to NFL superstardom with Jaguars (SB Nation)
The Jaguars are confident they have a quarterback on their roster worth building around — and they’re as confident as ever that they’ve put the right pieces around him. If Davis and Thomas Jr. prove effective as field stretchers, Jacksonville believes everything else will come into place, and Lawrence will jump from former phenom to present-day superstar.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
