Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence focused on things greater than getting a new deal

Fourth-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence is eligible for a contract extension and has already begun negotiations with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But as much as Lawrence would like to get a new deal, he's got bigger priorities ahead of the 2024 season.

Lawrence met with the local media during the second day of the team's offseason programs. He says that getting a deal done before the season would be nice but that's not his main focus right now.

"There's definitely been some conversations. As far as where that's at now, it's not my focus," Lawrence told the media. "I'd love to be a Jag for as long as possible. We love it here. I love where we're headed as an organization and feel like I'm just getting better every year and my best ball is definitely ahead of me. From that standpoint, that would be great. But going into my fourth year, it's not like this is necessarily gonna be my last season, there's a lot that can happen."

"Not really my focus right now, at the end of the day, my job isn't going to change whether I get extended or not before the season. My job is to go win games and to be the best I can be for this team, so we can have a chance to win a Super Bowl. Even if I get the contract extension, that's still my job even more so. There's even more expectation and pressure on that," Lawrence said.

"For me, I have the same focus and the same mindset. I can't lie, it would be nice to have that done and feel good about it. But no, it's not really the focus right now I know where we're at. I know where we're headed, and I know what I have to do. And I know there's some improvements that I have to make going forward."

It's easy to see why Lawrence is eager to put 2023 behind and bounce back. Last year, he ranked third in the league in turnovers with 14 interceptions and seven lost fumbles. Then again, he was pressured at a concerning rate and barely had any time to let routes develop.

In fact, his quick release masked the offensive line's inefficiency more often than not. Similarly, Lawrence dealt with a lot of injuries that prevented him from performing to the best of his capabilities. On the bright side, he says he's feeling great after having ample time to heal.

Also, the Jaguars made reinforcements to the offensive trenches and will continue making upgrades in the draft. That should help him play like a top-10 quarterback once again. Here's Lawrence's full exchange with the media in case you want to see it:

The Jaguars need to get a deal done with Trevor Lawrence while the pan is hot

There's still ample time to get an extension done but it's reassuring to hear that getting a new deal isn't Lawrence's top priority. Heck, he's already made it clear that he may be open to taking a discount if he gets a few things in return. He probably wants the team to pour the savings into the rest of the roster. Having said that, the Jaguars are better off getting a deal done as soon as possible.

Matthew Stafford will soon get a deal that will pay him between $45 million to $50 million. Lawrence should get a bigger annual average. Last year, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Justin Herbert got deals that pay them around $55 million per year. If Lawrence has a bounce-back season, he could be in a position to demand more than them.

And that's the thing, Lawrence already showed in 2022 that he can play at an elite level. With the Jaguars' renewed emphasis on helping him succeed, it's easy to see him joining the conversation about the best quarterbacks in the league next season.

If he gets paid along the way, that would be great, but with and without an extension, Trevor Lawrence is already putting in the work to have a great 2024 season.

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