Topline
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has agreed to a five-year, $275 million contract extension, according to multiple outlets, matching Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as the NFL’s highest-paid player on an annual basis.
Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars yells to his teammates during the first half against … [+]
Key Facts
Lawrence’s deal will provide him with a $55 million average salary and $142 million at signing, ESPN reported.
The contract extension matches the value of Burrow’s extension last year, which provided the Bengals quarterback with around $219 million in guaranteed pay.
Lawrence will reportedly receive $200 million in guaranteed pay through the new contract.
Lawrence was about to enter the fourth season of his rookie deal, which has two more seasons remaining and is worth $31.3 million, CBS Sports reported, noting the spike in the contract’s worth was because the Jaguars exercised a $25.6 million fifth-year option with Lawrence.
With the new contract, Lawrence will make a higher average salary than other quarterbacks such as the Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff ($53 million), the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert ($52.5 million) and the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson ($52 million), ESPN reported.
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Surprising Fact
Lawrence, Burrow and the other quarterbacks making nearly as much money as them all bring in more money than Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who makes an average annual salary of $46.3 million and has led his team to three Super Bowl titles.
Chief Critics
Many on social media seemed to think the Jaguars didn’t get the better end of the deal, as “overpay” began trending on X, formerly known as Twitter, immediately following the news about Lawrence’s contract extension.
What To Watch For
Lawrence’s contract sets the stage for future NFL quarterbacks due to receive new deals, including the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love.
Key Background
Lawrence was selected first overall by the Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft and, after a low-performing rookie year, helped the team secure the AFC South title in 2022 and a playoff win against the Chargers. The former Clemson quarterback led the Jaguars to a strong start in 2023 before he suffered multiple injuries in the latter part of the season, when the team lost five of their last six games. Lawrence has a 20-30 record and a 63.8% career completion percentage heading into the 2024 season.
Further Reading
Source: Jaguars, QB Trevor Lawrence agree to five-year, $275M deal (ESPN)
NFL Team Valuations 2023 (Forbes)