3 Jaguars contract extensions that require immediate attention

1. Trevor Lawrence, quarterback

You have probably seen discussions about Trevor Lawrence not living up to his draft billing. The truth is that some of the criticism is valid but it's been overblown. The first overall pick in 2021, Lawrence had an underwhelming rookie season due to Urban Meyer's inability to coach an NFL team. The fact that he had a subpar supporting cast didn't help matters.

The Jaguars gave Lawrence better weapons and protection, in 2022 and he went on to make a massive leap. By the end of his sophomore campaign, he was playing like a top-10 quarterback. The former Clemson Tiger was expected to build off of his outstanding sophomore season but he instead took a step back.

While Lawrence deserves some of the blame for his regression, he didn't have much help around him, which led him to put the team on his shoulders. The Jaguars realized they needed to do a better job of putting their star quarterback in a position to succeed and revamped his supporting cast this past offseason. If Lawrence manages to stay healthy in 2024, he should have no trouble playing like a top-10 quarterback again. That could make negotiations interesting.

Lawrence is already eligible for a new deal but the Jags will most likely use the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, giving them a bit of a cushion to get a deal done. He's already stated that he may be willing to take a discount if the front office invests the savings on the roster. That's an opportunity Trent Baalke shouldn't put to waste.

The Jaguars could give him an extension already and have a good idea of how much space they'll have in the next three or four years. That would help them with cap management. On the other hand, it could save them the potential headache and the distractions that come with not paying your franchise quarterback.

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