The Jaguars intend to pick up the fifth-year options for quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke said Saturday.
“Before I do that, I’m going to look to have a beer,” Baalke said with a laugh when asked about each player’s contract option immediately following the 2024 NFL draft. “I’m joking. Yes.”
The deadline for teams to pick up fifth-year options for 2021 first-round picks is May 2. According to Over the Cap, Lawrence’s option would be worth $25,664,000 fully guaranteed in 2025. Etienne’s would be worth $6,143,000.
Lawrence was Jacksonville’s clear option with the No. 1 selection in the 2021 NFL draft, considering the Jaguars’ extended need for a franchise quarterback and his pedigree as one of the better passing prospects to come out of college in recent years.
Thus far, Lawrence has lived up to the billing.
Through 50 regular-season games with the Jaguars, each of which he’s started, Lawrence has completed 63.8% of 1,750 passes for 11,770 yards with 58 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He’s added 964 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
Following the disaster that was Urban Meyer’s lone year as Jacksonville’s head coach, the Jaguars clinched back-to-back winning seasons in 2022 and 2023 for the first time since 2004-2005, including the team’s run to the AFC divisional round in January 2023.
Accordingly, Jacksonville initiated conversations regarding a long-term contract extension for Lawrence this offseason, as he became eligible to sign one in March.
“We’re working at it, we’ll continue to work at it,” Jaguars general manager Baalke said on April 18. “Ownership is involved, obviously. Coach [Doug Pederson] is involved; we’re going to put our best foot forward and hope to get something accomplished here.”
Etienne, Lawrence’s six-year teammate dating back to Clemson in 2018, missed his entire rookie season in 2021 with a Lisfranc injury.
But he returned to the form Jacksonville expected of him in the two seasons to follow, churning out 2,133 yards and 16 touchdowns over 487 rushing attempts and 792 yards and one touchdown over 93 receptions.
While Etienne’s rushing efficiency took a step back in 2023 compared to 2022 — down to 3.8 yards per carry from 5.1 — his 12 total touchdowns scored last season led the Jaguars.