4 winners and 2 losers from Jaguars giving Josh Allen massive extension

The Jacksonville Jaguars just showed how much they valued outside linebacker Josh Allen by giving him a huge contract extension. Not long after the news was reported, the team announced the deal.

Allen told the local media after signing the contract that he wanted to cry, and why wouldn't he? On top of being one of the best defensive players in franchise history, he just got a five-year deal worth $150 million with $88 guarantees.

But as happy as Allen is after getting a new deal, he knows the job isn't over. His goal is to win the Super Bowl. The Jags, for their part, can now turn their attention to the 2024 NFL Draft. They can also focus on taking care of other players who are in line for a contract (e.g. Trevor Lawrence).

With that in mind, here are four winners and two losers from the Josh Allen deal.

Winner No. 1: Josh Allen himself

There's no bigger winner than Josh Allen himself. Coming off a banner year, he wanted to get a deal done but the front office wasn't in a rush to engage in contract talks. Rightfully, Allen and his representations weren't thrilled about the Jaguars' lack of urgency.

While the Jaguars and Allen eventually had positive talks, they couldn't strike a deal before the start of free agency, so he got the franchise tag. Both parties kept exchanging offers, but they weren't getting any done, so the star pass rusher took to social media in April to share his frustration.

Maybe general manager Trent Baalke caught wind of the post because the Jaguars announced that they had struck a deal just one week later. Now, Allen is the second highest-paid edge rusher in the league. The extension he signed pays him an average of $30 million per year, $1.8 million more than defensive end Brian Burns, who also got a new contract after getting traded to the New York Giants.

Make no mistake, Allen earned this contract. In 2023, he found the consistency he was missing in previous years and went on to set a new franchise record for sacks in a season with 17.5. Understandably, the Jags wanted more from him so they let him play his contract out before making a decision. He met expectations and then some.