Trevor Lawrence reveals ideal deadline to secure contract extension from Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. At the time, the draft class was praised for its depth at the quarterback position. Four other quarterback prospects — BYU's Zach Wilson, North Dakota State's Trey Lance, Ohio State's Justin Fields, and Alabama's Mac Jones — were selected in the top-15 picks of that year's draft.

Of the five quarterbacks, Lawrence is the only one who remains with the team that originally drafted him.

Expectations were high for Lawrence in 2023. He finished the 2022 campaign with 25 passing touchdowns and just 8 interceptions, earning the first Pro Bowl nod of his young career. With an improved supporting cast and another year of solid coaching, the Jaguars were expected to take a leap forward. Instead, Lawrence regressed in his third season.

Still, Lawrence appears to have a promising future ahead, and the Jaguars are committed to signing him to a long-term extension this offseason. Heading into 2024, Jacksonville opted to pick up the fifth-year option on Lawrence's rookie contract, which extended his rookie contract through 2025 for an additional $25.7 million. The extension gives the Jaguars time to work out a long-term deal, but it would be wise to get it done sooner rather than later.

Trevor Lawrence hints at a timeline for his contract extension

During Jacksonville's offseason team activities, Lawrence told reporters that he doesn't mind waiting for the extension, but indicated that he would like to have it done before the team's training camp begins in July.

"Yeah, I think that would be ideal, just to put it behind us and keep moving and feel good about that going into training camp," Lawrence said. "But either way, like I've said before, I have the same job. So I can't always control all those factors, but I have the same job to do either way. But yeah, of course, that'd be ideal to get it done as soon as you can and kinda move forward."

For Lawrence, it doesn't hurt to wait a little bit. The Detroit Lions signed quarterback Jared Goff to a four-year, $252 million contract extension in May. Goff's figure, which trails only Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, is a clear indication that quarterback contracts are continuing to skyrocket. 

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is vying for a record-setting deal, and a contract extension for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa seems imminent. As quarterbacks each try to set new records with their contracts, the price tag for Lawrence is bound to increase with time.

The inconsistency of Lawrence's career has left his outlook murky. It's likely that the Jaguars organization is to blame for stunting the 24-year-old quarterback's development. The bizarre Urban Meyer saga in Jacksonville was an unmitigated disaster, and Lawrence paid the price for it. It's likely that Lawrence would have fared better if he had been drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs and surrounded by head coach Andy Reid, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and tight end Travis Kelce. 

Regardless of hypotheticals and inconsistencies, the scarcity at the quarterback position all but guarantees that Lawrence will be able to command an annual salary over $50 million. The Jaguars quarterback doesn't seem too worried about the contract getting done.

"That's why I pay people and hire people to do that for me, that's not my job," Lawrence said about his contract negotiations. "But obviously, I know what's going on. I'm aware of the situation — I think that's important, too — but I try to keep all my focus and energy on being the best player I can be to help us win."

Finding a franchise quarterback is no easy task. Some of the other teams that drafted a quarterback in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft have already floundered. The New York Jets have been woeful with Wilson at helm, while the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears both used a top-5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to select a quarterback. Trey Lance, who has barely seen the field, will likely join his third team in three years next offseason.