Jaguars show full confidence in CB Tyson Campbell with historic contract

The Jacksonville Jaguars are sparing no expense to keep their own players. After giving top-market contracts to Josh Hines-Allen and Trevor Lawrence, they've now turned their attention to cornerback Tyson Campbell. A member of the Jags' decorated 2021 class, the former Georgia Bulldog has signed an extension that ensures he'll remain in Jacksonville for years to come.

Campbell is signing a four-year, $76.5 million contract with $53.4 million guarantees, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media first reported. Other outlets later confirmed. This signing is noteworthy because the 2021 second-round selection is now the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history that has yet to earn individual accolades such as the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team.

At $19.125 million per year, Campbell is now the seventh highest-paid cornerback in the league, trailing Jaire Alexander, Denzel Ward, Jalen Ramsey, Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore, and Trevon Diggs. The deal will pay is slightly higher than L'Jarius Sneed's, who has an annual average of $19.1 million.

It's also worth pointing out that Campbell signed an extension, not a new contract so he'll get added years to his current deal. He was slated to become a free agent in 2025 and was set to count $4 million against the cap next season.

Campbell, the 33rd overall pick in 2021, struggled early in his rookie year but that was miscast in the slot. Once he replaced C.J. Henderson in the boundaries, he saw a noticeable improvement. He got better as the season progressed and finished with a team-best two interceptions.

The Florida native was even better in 2022, giving up less than 10.0 yards per attempt and registering three picks, tied for the most with the Jags. He was also second in passes defensed with 15. Seen as a top-10 cornerback ahead of the 2023 season, he was hindered by injuries, first a hamstring and later a quad.

Having locked up Campbell, the Jags could next try to sign either running back Travis Etienne or safety Andre Cisco.

Signing Tyson Campbell shows Jaguars stay true to their vision

Tyson Campbell is now looking to bounce back and should be motivated by his new deal. By giving the cornerback a top-market contract, the Jacksonville Jaguars are proving yet again that they're willing to reward their homegrown talent.

Earlier in the offseason, owner Shad Khan said that it's not sustainable to keep adding free agents on a yearly basis, and the team must extend their own talent. By locking up Campbell, the Jags are staying true to that vision. And by getting a deal done now, instead of waiting until 2024, they're getting ahead of the curve.

Patrick Surtain II, Asante Samuel Jr., and Carlton Davis are set to hit the open market next year and all of them have done enough to get top-market contracts. Simply put, cornerbacks salaries are only going to go up but Jacksonville won't have to worry about getting a deal done with Campbell.

In the early stages of training camp, the Jaguars have taken care of one of their best defensive players. He may or may not be the last to sign a contract before the start of the regular season. But by then, they'll be able to just focus on winning football games.

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