The Jacksonville Jaguars just proved that there's no such thing as a down period in the NFL. On Friday night, ahead of the season finale against the Tennessee Titans, they made a move that ensures that Trevor Lawrence will stay upright for the foreseeable future.
Adam Schefter of ESPN just reported that the Jags have signed offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen to a three-year deal worth $51 million with $32.5 million guaranteed. The extension comes in light of Van Lanen's strong end to the 2025 season. Other outlets, such as NFL Media, have confirmed the news.
Sources: The #Jaguars and standout OT Cole Van Lanen have agreed to terms on a big new contract extension, a 3-year, $51M deal - $17M per year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 3, 2026
The deal was done by RJ Gonser and Jim Denton of @CAAFootball. pic.twitter.com/rTtz7b0Dyx
Why did the Jaguars give Cole Van Lanen an extension?
A seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2021, Cole Van Lanen spent his rookie campaign in the practice squad. He was traded to the Jaguars just before the start of the 2022 season. Early in his stint with Jacksonville, the former Wisconsin Badger didn't get much playing time. However, he was given a chance to show what he brought to the table when the new regime arrived in 2025 and made the most of it.
Throughout the season, Van Lanen played at both guard spots and right tackle, but he truly hit his stride when he replaced Walker Little at left tackle. The Wisconsin native took over in Week 13 and never looked back.
This season, Van Lanen has logged a career-high 573 offensive snaps and has allowed just one sack and 19 total pressures in that span. Not surprisingly, the team wanted to ensure the fourth-year offensive lineman didn't go anywhere in the offseason.
Because Van Lanen spent his whole rookie season in the practice squad, he didn't accrue a season. That's why he signed a restricted tender in the offseason. Had he not signed an extension, he would have become a free agent in March.
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What's next for the Jaguars after signing Cole Van Lanen to a 3-year deal?
General manager James Gladstone is doing a good job of maintaining the team's core intact. Before signing Cole Van Lanen to an extension, he gave wide receiver Jakobi Meyer a three-year contract worth $60 million. But as proactive as the Jaguars have been the past month, there's still plenty of work left to do.
With Van Lanen and Jakobi Meyers under contract, the Jaguars can now turn their attention to cornerback Greg Newsome, cornerback Montaric Brown, linebacker Devin Lloyd, safety Andrew Wingard, and running back Travis Etienne. All five are slated to hit the open market.
Granted, the Jags won't be able to bring everyone back, as they will have a finite amount of space to work with. Before signing Van Lanen, they were $2.9 million over the cap.
Having said that, the Jags are getting a head start by locking Cole Van up to a long-term deal. Having taken care of him, they don't have to worry about Trevor Lawrence's blindside the remainder of the season and beyond 2025.