Does Trevor Lawrence deserve to be among the highest paid QBs?

The Jacksonville Jaguars will probalby give their franchise quarterback a lucrative extension soon, but how much money does he deserve? That is the million-dollar question, or, in Trevor Lawrence’s case, the over $53 million question if reports are correct.

Whatever your feelings are on Lawrence as the Jags pivot, he’ll be the guy behind centre for the foreseeable future in Jacksonville, though there will be a lot of debate as to what he should get.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s contract situation

Trevor Lawrence is coming into the fourth year of his deal with Jacksonville and will earn over $5.5 million, according to Spotrac in 2024. The Jags have already exercised his fifth-year option for 2025. His cap hit this upcoming season is over $11 million before jumping above $25 million the following year.

That hit will only rise in the future the longer Trent Baalke and company wait, so it feels like sooner rather than later, Lawrence will get an extension. According to ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, the Jags will try to get a deal done before the start of the regular season on September 8. He argues that it’d be advantageous for the Jags front office to get a deal done before other starting quarterbacks are re-signed.

Other NFL quarterbacks seeking extensions

The Jags’ front office is up against the clock to re-sign Lawrence because there are other quarterbacks seeking a new deal. Some of those names include Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, the Packers’ Jordan Love, and Dallas Cowboys pivot Dak Prescott.

Logically, once one is offered a new deal, that will drive up the price of the other. Just as in the previous offseason, once Justin Herbert got an extension, it became leverage for Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes.

All of those quarterbacks were able to cash in on big paydays, and even if Lawrence doesn’t have the accolades that some of those names have, he’ll still have some leverage.

First quarterback to get an extension this offseason

Former first-overall draft pick Jared Goff was the first big-name quarterback to get an extension this off-season.

The Lions rewarded him with a four-year, $212 million deal, which includes a $78 million signing bonus and $113.6 million fully guaranteed. That equates to Goff’s annual salary of $53 million, making him the second-highest-paid quarterback based on his yearly salary behind that of another former No. 1 pick, Joe Burrow ($55 million).

If the rumours are true though he may not be the No. 1 on that list for very long.

How would Lawrence’s extension compare to other quarterbacks?

Goff has achieved more as a quarterback than Lawrence, leading the LA Rams to the Super Bowl during the 2018 and helping the Lions to the NFC title game last season.

That, however, does not mean Lawrence won’t get a higher salary than Goff. DiRocco says that Lawrence’s new contract will make him the second-highest-paid player in the NFL at his position.

“One NFL front office executive not affiliated with the Jaguars told ESPN they expect Lawrence’s extension to have an average annual salary just ahead of Goff’s $53 million, but not ahead of Burrow’s $55 million. As for the structure of the deal, it should be similar to the deal Goff received, the executive said.”

"Second, the Jaguars could be forced to pay more if they wait longer, especially if Lawrence flourishes in his third season in coach Doug Pederson’s offense and leads the Jaguars back to the playoffs, and (Tua)Tagovailoa, (Dak) Prescott and (Jordan) Love get new deals before him. ‘It’s just going to get more expensive,’ the front office executive said. ‘The price is only going to go up."

- Michael DiRocco of ESPN

While it’s an easy motivational tool not to give Lawrence the big contract until he earns it, the Jags front office has to be practical in that approach.

Lawrence may be the focal point of this team, but Travis Etienne hasn’t been extended yet either, and they’ll also need to decide what to do in the future with Travon Walker and Anton Harrison, among others. Wait too long and Lawrence’s price goes up and then you miss out on other valuable pieces to this team.

No matter how you slice it, a Lawrence still needs to get done sooner rather than later.