Since James Gladstone became the general manager, the Jacksonville Jaguars have done a good job of locking up their homegrown talent. This past offseason, they extended defensive end Travon Walker, tight end Brenton Strange, long snapper Ross Matiscik, and cornerback Montaric Brown. Wide receiver Parker Washington is probably next, and once the Jags take care of him, they'll probably they'll turn their attention to right tackle Anton Harrison. The issue is that his price may have just gone up.
In the midst of training camp, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the Chicago Bears had agreed with Darnell Wright to a new four-year extension worth $116 million with $93 million in guarantees that makes him the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL. The team announced the signing not long after.
With his new deal, Wright just raised the bar for the salaries at right tackle, and nobody would bat an eye if Anton Harrison wants an extension in that range.
Darnell Wright just raised the bar for Anton Harrison and the Jaguars
Darnell Wright's new deal makes him not only the highest-paid right tackle but also the second-highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL, only behind Laremy Tunsil. Rashawn Slater previously held that title.
Just last season, Wright gave up 19 total pressures, three quarterback hits, and three sacks. Those are certainly good numbers, but definitely not elite. It doesn't matter, though. Players in the NFL get paid what the market says they're worth, and if the Bears had waited, they would've had to fork out even more last year. Early in 2026, Chicago picked up the fifth-year option in his rookie year.
Perhaps Wright's deal could incentivize the Jaguars to speed up negotiations with Anton Harrison, who's become a mainstay of the offensive line.
The Jaguars may want to extend Anton Harrison ASAP
A first-round pick in 2023, Harrison flashed as a rookie but regressed the following year. He bounced back last year and went on to have a banner season, giving up 35 total pressures, three hits, and one sack. The former Oklahoma Sooner is temporarily lining up at left tackle while Cole Van Lanen recovers from a knee injury. However, head coach Liam Coen recently suggested that the switch could be permanent.
Vice president of football operations Tony Boselli says that there isn't currently that much of a difference in terms of playing on the right or left side. That may also be true for the salaries, so it may not matter where Harrison plays next season. Keep in mind that his contract runs through 2027, so the Jags can afford to wait. Then again, the longer they take to pay him, the more it will ultimately cost. They'll need to decide in the upcoming months how much of a priority he'll be.
The Jaguars opted not to make a splash signing in free agency because they have several tough decisions ahead. While they won't be able to pay everyone, they simply cannot let Anton Harrison walk. So even if Darnell Wright just made it a bit more difficult to get a contract done, it will be worth it.
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