In this week’s Jaguars Poll of the Week, we want to know when the Jaguars should resign Trevor Lawrence, if at all.
Welcome to the fourth Jacksonville Jaguars offseason poll of the week!
Last week, we asked you: Which player should the Jaguars resign this offseason? Though the poll will remain open until this weekend, Calvin Ridley appears to be the runaway leader with 44% of the votes. Duwuane Smoot appears to be Jags fans’ next choice, with 14% of the current vote.
However, another name is potentially up for a new contract: Trevor Lawrence. Though he is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal and is not a pending free agent, there has been season-long chatter about whether Lawrence will be extended in the offseason. If this is the case, he would be following in the footsteps of Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert, who both signed mega-contracts this past offseason as they entered the fourth years of their rookie contracts.
On the one hand, the market price tag for quarterbacks increases every year, and the Jags might want to lock in Lawrence for the long haul. On the other, Lawrence struggled at times this past season, arguably raising more doubts than he answered. This leads us to this week’s question:
In my eyes, Trevor Lawrence is a true franchise quarterback. While he did not appear this past season to be the second coming of Peyton Manning, his performance was significantly hindered by an atrocious offensive line, a lackluster run game (also due to the porous line), and crucial drops by wide receivers. Despite all of this, he managed to play at a passable level, giving me confidence that his performance will be massively elevated if we can manage to develop good pass protection, consistent run-blocking, and improved wide receiver play. Still, you don’t sign blockbuster deals based on speculative potential (see: Daniel Jones). While I believe wholeheartedly in his potential, this season’s Trevor Lawrence was a far cry from last season’s Joe Burrow, who merited his record-breaking contract.
Moreover, if the Jaguars hope to be more competitive this year, the roster needs significant upgrades. This will push our cap space to the limit, particularly after the inevitable extension of Josh Allen. If I’m the Jaguars – heck, if I’m Trevor Lawrence – I am using my cap resources to ensure my quarterback’s safety and set him up for success. As the last few weeks of the regular season aptly demonstrated, having Trevor Lawrence doesn’t do much if he’s injured or running for his life. If/when he makes a massive leap this season, I am happy to give him the payday he deserves. But for now, I’m holding tight, taking advantage of a starting quarterback on a rookie contract, and investing my resources elsewhere.
Jags fans, what do you think? Would you pay Trevor Lawrence now or wait and see? Let us know in the comments!
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