JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has turn out to be one of many highest-paid gamers in NFL historical past. He agreed to a five-year, $275 million contract extension — together with $200 million in ensures — on Thursday, in accordance with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract ties Joe Burrow’s deal because the highest-paid quarterback within the NFL when it comes to annual wage.
The contract is the largest in franchise historical past — surpassing the five-year, $141.25 million deal ($88 million assured) that outdoors linebacker Josh Allen signed in April.
The 2021 No. 1 total decide is barely the third quarterback the Jaguars have drafted to earn an extension, becoming a member of David Garrard (seven years, $69.4 million) in 2007 and Blake Bortles (three years, $54 million) in 2018. Solely Lawrence and Bortles (No. 3 in 2014) have been first-round picks.
After three seasons within the NFL, has Lawrence earned this contract? And with the contract out of the best way, will he take the following step as an elite quarterback? We kind by the largest questions.
Has Lawrence earned this contract?
In the event you take a look at what Lawrence has carried out in his profession to this point — 20-30 file as a starter (plus 1-1 within the playoffs), 63.8% completions, 58 landing passes, 39 interceptions — you would possibly marvel why the Jaguars made him one of many highest-paid quarterbacks.
However the Jaguars aren’t paying him completely for what he has carried out to this point. They’re paying him as a result of they imagine he’s going to play at a stage that may constantly have them in competition for a Tremendous Bowl, particularly as he grows in coach Doug Pederson’s offense.
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Lawrence has proven flashes of being an elite quarterback during the last three seasons.
His rookie season was lower than best, as he struggled with City Meyer as a head coach for lower than a full season. Lawrence’s NFL-high 17 interceptions and 3-13 file because the starter that 12 months was understood as a microcosm of a bigger staff situation.
Lawrence then rebounded in an enormous manner in 2022 with 25 landing passes and eight interceptions, main the Jaguars to an AFC South title. Within the playoffs, he put collectively the most effective comebacks in NFL historical past because the Jaguars rallied from a 27-0 deficit (arrange partly by his 4 interceptions) to a 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers earlier than dropping to Kansas Metropolis within the divisional spherical.
And final season he took a step again. The Jaguars have been 8-3 in 2023 and competing for the No. 1 seed within the AFC earlier than Lawrence was beset with a number of accidents over the ultimate six weeks of the season: a proper excessive ankle sprain, a concussion and a shoulder sprain. The Jaguars went 1-5 in that stretch (he missed one sport), and Lawrence did not absolutely take part in a observe after Dec. 15. He additionally completed third within the NFL in turnovers final season (21) and has 60 in his first three seasons.
However there’s a stretch between the 2022 and 2023 seasons that exhibits the potential the Jaguars see in Lawrence.
In a 17-game span from Week 12 of 2022 by Week 11 of 2023, he threw for 4,161 yards and 23 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He ranked ninth in QBR, seventh in completion proportion, ninth in passing yards, and twelfth in TD passes amongst all QBs over that span. Just one QB had extra victories in that span than Lawrence (13): Jalen Hurts (14). Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff additionally gained 13 video games in that stretch.
Regardless of the ups and downs in his first three seasons Lawrence has led the Jaguars to twenty victories, 17 of which have come up to now two seasons. That may not sound spectacular, however the Jaguars had gained simply 12 video games within the three seasons previous to his arrival and began six QBs in these 48 video games: Bortles (3-9), Cody Kessler (2-2), Nick Foles (0-4), Gardner Minshew (7-13), Mike Glennon (0-5) and Jake Luton (0-3).
This will likely be Lawrence’s third season in Pederson’s offense. Lawrence’s development within the system and as a pacesetter are indicators that the 24-year-old may very well be headed for a breakout season.
“He is changing into the vocal chief within the locker room, on the sector, in conferences,” Pederson mentioned. “He is partaking. After we received him three years in the past, he was simply studying our system and sort of quiet and simply making an attempt to undergo the motions just a little little bit of simply making an attempt to adapt to us and get a really feel for us. Now he is partaking and giving us concepts. Now he is giving us solutions and concepts and actually changing into one other coach, a set of eyes on the sector.”
That Lawrence did not have the breakout season — for varied causes — in 2023 does not imply he is behind in his improvement, Pederson mentioned.
“I discovered this again once I went to Inexperienced Bay as a participant underneath Mike Holmgren: It takes three to 4 years,” Pederson mentioned. “It takes that point to become the quarterback that you simply need to turn out to be otherwise you need to your staff. And it is simply not an in a single day deal. It is not a plug-and-play deal. Some groups, some guys are going to have success, however there may be that simply understanding the sport and studying the sport and finding out the sport.
“It is the encouraging half as an offensive workers and simply myself now going into that third 12 months [with Lawrence]. That is sort of this soar 12 months that he can have transferring ahead.”
What does Lawrence have to do now that he received paid?
Pederson has mentioned his high two priorities for Lawrence going into his fourth season — no matter how a lot cash Lawrence will likely be making — are slicing down on turnovers and getting higher at situational soccer.
There are solely 11 quarterbacks who’ve made their debut since 1978 which have turned the ball over greater than Lawrence (60) of their first three seasons, per Elias Sports activities Bureau. There are three Corridor of Famers on the record — Warren Moon (73, tied with Steve DeBerg for essentially the most), Peyton Manning (64) and John Elway (61) — however so are Vinny Testaverde (72), Jake Plummer (70) and Mark Sanchez (63).
“It is the largest factor that he has to concentrate on transferring ahead,” Pederson mentioned at his end-of-season information convention. “We simply cannot have this quantity of turnovers. How we flip the ball over, the place we flip the ball over, it would not matter. We have got to guard the soccer. That is the No. 1 factor.
“For the quarterback, the person who touches the ball each snap, we received to verify the emphasis is caring for the ball.”
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Situational soccer is issues like taking the safer or simpler throw on third down; sliding or getting all the way down to keep away from damage; throwing the ball away if nobody is open; and understanding the offense is in area aim vary and never jeopardizing the potential for three factors with poor ball safety or by trying an ill-advised throw.
All of which, Pederson mentioned, will likely be helped by a fuller understanding of the offense now that Lawrence is in his third season within the system, in addition to taking a much bigger position in adapting the system to his strengths.
“Persevering with to know our offense, get higher with the scheme [is the next step for Lawrence],” Pederson mentioned on the scouting mix. “Actually, nonetheless put extra of an impression to his voice on our offense. He is the one on the market executing and calling the performs, so I would like him to talk up and actually take possession in that with us.
“The situational a part of soccer, too, simply understanding sport conditions, managing the sport in a sure manner at sure instances all through the course of the sport. These are all areas that we will proceed as a workers to help him and assist him get to the place he desires to be.”
Is the Jaguars’ offense arrange for long-term success?
The Jaguars’ key offensive gamers are all underneath contract for a minimum of the following two seasons: Operating again Travis Etienne Jr., tight finish Evan Engram and receiver Christian Kirk are locked in by the 2025 season. Receiver Gabe Davis is locked in by the 2026 season. Engram and Kirk are additionally candidates for restructuring, which might hold them round even longer.
That group has been the core of an offense that completed within the high 13 in complete yards, passing yards and factors per sport in every of the previous two seasons.
Plus, the Jaguars’ offense will get a lift from rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr., chosen at No. 23 in April, and second-year receiver Parker Washington, who has been one of many standouts at OTAs and minicamp.
The talent positions are in good condition, and so long as the offensive line points that plagued the staff in 2023 — accidents, poor inside play — do not linger, there is no motive the offense cannot constantly be a top-10 unit, particularly if Lawrence makes the soar that Pederson referenced.
