JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — At the time, Trevor Lawrence’s five-year, $275 million extension, signed back in June of 2024, was a bit controversial as the quarterback had yet to prove he could be a consistent, high-quality quarterback in the league.
A disappointing and injury-riddled 2024 season didn’t help those who doubted the move as the Jaguars would finish the season with a 4-13 record.
Lawrence’s season ended prematurely after suffering numerous injuries. He would end the season with just over 2,000 yards passing and 11 touchdowns, statistically the worst season since his rookie year.
After the disappointing season, the Jaguars made a conscious effort to support Lawrence. The team fired both general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson, opting to make James Gladstone and Liam Coen one of the youngest general manager, head coach duos in NFL history.
If anyone is curious just how much staffing matters, look no further than the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. The roster remained largely unchanged, yet the team couldn’t have performed any differently. That included said quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.
With Coen at the helm, Lawrence was reborn, looking better than ever and reminiscent of his collegiate days at Clemson. The Jaguars’ QB finished fifth in MVP voting, posting 38 touchdowns and 4,366 yards. Suddenly, that $275 million extension started to look not so bad.
How does his contract fare now two years later?
This season is the start to Lawrence’s extension and truthfully it’s very team-friendly up until the last two years. In 2026, his $17 million cap hit ranks 69th among all players and 17th among QBs. It’s very similar in 2027 as his $24 million cap hit ranks 81st among all players and 19th among QBs.
Considering Lawence just finished fifth in MVP voting, that’s about as good of value as you can get. His $47 million cap hit in 2028 ranks 11th among QBs before his price really jumps up in 2029 and 2020.
His $78.5 million and $74.8 million cap hits over the last two years of his deal rank 2nd in the NFL, behind the Bills’ Josh Allen. While the number seems astronomically high in the present day, it likely will seem far less significant when 2029 arrives. Over the last five seasons, the NFL salary cap has risen $121 million. It doesn’t seem as if an end is in sight for its growth.
There’s also the possibility those cap hits never become reality. Earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes restructured his $78.2 million cap hit, converting nearly $55 million into a signing bonus, lowering his cap hit to under $35 million.
We are still four years out from those numbers coming to fruition and a lot can change, whether it’s his cap hit or the salary cap itself. But for now, the Jaguars have one of the NFL’s best contracts at the quarterback position if Lawrence can replicate his sensational 2025 season going forward.
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