Though there aren’t expected to be any complications with first overall pick Trevor Lawrence suiting up Week 1, the former Clemson quarterback has yet to sign his rookie deal. However, he isn’t the only one as Travis Etienne, Tyson Campbell, and Walker Little remain unsigned, too.
In Lawrence’s case (and the cases of other rookies), we have some clarity on why that may be in this new report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. According to Fowler, the Jaguars haven’t found a “sweet spot,” with the main hangup being offset language.
“Lawrence’s contract is not done, it’s probably a bit of a standoff because with these rookie deals it’s about offset language in those third and fourth years,” Fowler said on SportsCenter, according to quotes transcribed by Bleacher Report. “If somebody gets injured, then the offset language can play a part. I’m told Jacksonville hasn’t found a sweet spot yet. They haven’t relented on wanting the offset language in the deal. So that could mean that this takes a little bit of time for them to come to an agreement. Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick behind him with the Jets, he’s waiting as well. So, those dominoes will fall into place, but it could just be closer to training camp.”
Since the NFL took much of the negotiating power out of the hands of rookies with the 2011 CBA, initial contracts in the league have been fairly pre-determined and structured. But offset language, which deals with guaranteed money if a player is injured or prematurely released during their rookie deal, remains negotiable.
As Tim Daniels points out for Bleacher Report, this isn’t of significant concern for Lawrence, considering it’s highly unlikely he’ll be released during his rookie deal, but he could be trying to set a precedent for future rookie deals.
All in all, these hangups seem to be procedural, and it’s likely Lawrence will sign sooner rather than later. But for now, the Jags are yet to make things official with the most important player they’ve ever had on the roster.