The Cincinnati Bengals locked up their franchise quarterback Thursday night with a five-year, $275 million contract extension for Joe Burrow that includes a staggering $219.01 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The $55 million per year extension will have a ripple effect across the NFL, and the next domino to fall could be in Duval.
With 2020 draftees Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts all signed to mammoth deals, the next quarterback in line for a record-breaking deal appears to be Trevor Lawrence.
The NFL and NFLPA’s collective bargaining agreement requires teams to wait until after a draft pick has played three seasons before negotiating an extension. That means Lawrence will be eligible for a new deal during the 2024 offseason.
Given the fast rising prices for premium long-term quarterback deals, the Jaguars would be wise to lock down Lawrence before it gets any more expensive. Fortunately for Jacksonville, there might not be much of a race to get deals done next year.
Other quarterbacks drafted in 2021 include Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones. None of those passers seem likely to be in the market for a nearly $60 million per year deal after the 2023 season. Lawrence’s extension, on the other hand, seems inevitable.
If Lawrence is up next, the Jaguars will almost definitely have to push the annual number higher than $55 million to get a deal done.
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