JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Michael from Orange Park, FL
Why, Zone? Why? Explain. Seriously: Make it make sense. Please.
I'll assume you're referencing the Jaguars reportedly agreeing to a contract extension with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a deal that reportedly will pay him $275 million over five years – with a reported $200 million guaranteed – and a reported $37.5 million signing bonus. This news seemed to surprise to some O-Zone readers when it broke Thursday, which I suppose I find at least a bit surprising considering it has been increasingly clear throughout the offseason that this was coming. I don't know how the signs could have been clearer. I don't know how this column could have been clearer short of me using all capital letters and exclamation points and writing: "TREVOR LAWRENCE IS GOING TO SIGN AN EXTENSION THIS OFFSEASON AND THE MONEY IS GOING TO SHAKE YOU TO YOUR SHOES!!!!" 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.
Thomas from Section 125 from Jacksonville aka DUUUVAL
I hope that $55 million a year be worth it or else it's money going down the sewage line! You give this guy the highest pay amount of money per year as quarterback! Burrow got the Bengals to the Super Bowl without an offensive line. This is ridiculous! Jags gone Jags! Jags do Jags stuff!
If I'm reading your email correctly – and it's not as easy as might have been the case – you're upset about something. Presumably Lawrence's contract. This is an understandable view – and in a perfect world, I suppose the Jaguars could have signed Lawrence to a salary precisely based on a metric of victories, losses, playoff success, etc. But that's not how NFL contracts work in these decidedly wildly inflation-oriented times. The Jaguars are committed to Lawrence as the franchise quarterback. Once that was decided, this wasn't going to be a "bargain-ish" $35-to-40 million contract. Lawrence and his team weren't going to agree to that. If it was going to be done this offseason, this was the price.
Don from Marshall, NC
The Jaguars signed a center and it looks like Luke will have a tough go to make the team. Let's face it: He hurt himself early in the season in some way. From Year One to Two, there was a big drop off. Go Jaguars!
When it comes to having little faith in third-year center Luke Fortner, Don – like perhaps too many Jaguars fans – remains "all in."
Kinzie from Asheville, NC
Since it's the dead zone, does a daily run really count if you just end up running to the brewery for an IPA and boneless wings, then take an uber home?
Does it count? Does it COUNT!? Damned right it counts.
Bill
Hey, O. It's now been reported that Trevor is signing a new 5-year $275 million contract, with $200 million guaranteed, including $142 million due at signing and an additional $37.5 million signing bonus. So does that mean he gets a check for $179.5 million the day he signs? What's the difference between due at signing and a signing bonus?
It means he will be getting paid $142 million up front with $37.5 million as a bonus. And yes, it means he gets paid $179.5 million immediately. Perhaps not the same day, but very soon.
Biff from the Mean Streets of Arlington
My wife and I have a June birthday. Could you please finish that sentence?
It's best you not know.
Bill from Jacksonville
Big mistake? Highest-paid quarterback. Puh-lease.
Time will tell if it's a mistake. One thing to remember here: While Lawrence's contract essentially is equal to that of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Burrow's contract is a larger percentage of the Bengals' cap than Lawrence's contract is to the Jaguars' cap. So while their per-year salary essentially is the same -- $55 million – an argument can be made that Burrow is paid a bit more. That may not seem like a big deal. In NFL circles, it is.
Paul from Lake City
All I know is you've been more consistent as a writer than I have been as a reader. (Although when I miss a day, I eventually catch up.)
This is one way I am awesome. I prefer not to share other ways. Sharing all the ways would detract from my awesome humility.
Puck from Jacksonville
Oh Man, I've been out of the loop for a minute. What happened with the Jarvis Landry tryout?
Loyal O-Zone readers – and he knows who he is – know that veteran wide receiver Jarvis Landry participated in the Jaguars 2024 Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis last month. He did not sign a contract with the organization. Loyal O-Zone readers – and he knows who he is – also know that I will continue to answer questions about Landry because you don't know for sure who reads everyday and it's still better to service the one reason who may be asking a question than to assume everyone knows all.
Richard from St Augustine, FL
O King of all that is funky could you please clarify! It is reported Steazy Trev got a five-year extension to his contract. Does that mean that at the end of the contract extension Trevor will have been with Jags for eight, nine, or 10 years? What I have noticed in past with other NFL players is the extension is added on to original four-year contract not the fifth-year option. Glad Trevor got his bag and it is over for Jags, so we can move forward with no distractions. Thanks for the clarity. DTWD Hope lots of TD's and W's are in Trevor's future! Go Jags.
Lawrence's five-year contract extension reportedly will extend his current five-year deal, meaning his contract will run through 2030 – his 10th NFL season.
Gabe from Washington, DC
For the group that don't think Trevor is a franchise quarterback, just judge off stats. All I can do is watch the film and then decide whether or not to hang onto your wrong opinion. For those who think it was an overpay, while he and Burrow are tied at the top of the league at $55 million per year, we had a big cap increase! If Trevor were taking up the same cap percentage as Burrow, he'd be making about $62.5M on average. This deal keeps Trevor in Jax for seven more years (without franchise tagging) and the terms will age beautifully, just like Christian Kirk's deal did!
Good eye.
Joe from Hall of Fame City, OH
Say it's true O ... TLaw got PAID!!!!!
We at jaguars.com and Jaguars Media can't say these things are official until ink is put to paper. Short of that … yeah, it's true. Officially or not.
Richard from Jacksonville
I'm nervous about this one, Zone? Talk me down. Tell me why this is OK.
The nervousness is understandable. The Jaguars are, after all, paying Lawrence top-of-market money when he has quarterbacked one playoff team in three seasons. He also has had turnover issues that he must resolve. That's one lens through which to view this. But the Jaguars have looked at Lawrence through what might be defined as a more nuanced lens. They see a young player who bare minimum has shown he is going to be a good NFL quarterback. They also see the star quality and off-field positives of that young players. Perhaps more than anything, they see that that young player quarterbacked the Jaguars to a 13-3 record from the last five games of 2022 through the first 11 games of 2023. They see that he threw 29 touchdown passes with nine interceptions during that span. They see that that span ended when Lawrence left three of the final six games of the 2023 regular season with injuries. A team clearly can win at a high level with Lawrence when he's healthy. That's not saying it's perfect. It's not saying he's elite yet. It is saying he still has a very real chance to get to elite – and that he's already good enough to win. Is paying Lawrence right now a risk? Sure. But there are plenty of reasons to believe it's a more-than-acceptable risk.
