JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — That is what’s speculated to occur with first-round picks.
The participant develops right into a Professional Bowler, All-Professional or among the best gamers at his place, and the group indicators him to a second contract.
Positive, it would not occur with each NFL first-round draft choose, however the truth that it has not often occurred to the Jacksonville Jaguars illustrates one of many franchise’s largest issues of the previous 15 years.
Signing pass-rusher Josh Allen to a five-year, $150 million contract with $88 million assured marks simply the third time the Jaguars have signed a first-round choose to a second contract since 2008.
This may be an indication the franchise is near pulling out of the dysfunctional part it has been in for thus lengthy. The Jaguars had 14 first-round picks from 2008 to ’20, and solely defensive deal with Tyson Alualu (2010), quarterback Blake Bortles (2014) and Allen have signed second offers with the group.
The remainder have been both traded, lower or suspended earlier than their rookie contracts expired, or they performed out their rookie contracts and weren’t re-signed. Contemplating that 12 of these 14 gamers have been drafted within the prime 10 — together with six within the prime 5 — it is not exhausting to determine why the Jaguars have had simply three successful seasons and two playoff appearances in that span.
Not hitting on or failing to develop excessive first-round picks into group mainstays has pressured the Jaguars to maintain chasing errors within the draft. Once you make a mistake chasing the error that occurred when chasing the unique mistake … you get 10 seasons with 5 or fewer victories since 2008.
Allen is coming off the very best season of his profession with a franchise-record 17.5 sacks, and he has been one of many league’s most constant pass-rushers since he entered the league in 2019. He ranks fourth amongst all gamers with a minimum of 1,250 go rush snaps (250 per season) over the previous 5 seasons and in quarterback stress share (16.7%) behind solely Trey Hendrickson, Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett.
Allen additionally has two Professional Bowl appearances, 9 pressured fumbles, an interception and three fumble recoveries — together with one for a landing that gave the Jaguars a Week 18 victory over Tennessee to win the AFC South in 2022. He is probably the most revered gamers within the locker room and has been vocal about his want to stay in Jacksonville for his whole profession.
Allen is the sort of participant the group wanted to maintain within the fold, and it despatched a message to the remainder of the locker room: Carry out at a excessive degree, and you will get paid what you are value.
Two years in the past, the group signed left deal with Cam Robinson to an extension, locking up the group’s second-round choose in 2017 by means of the 2024 season. Final offseason, the Jaguars signed defensive deal with DaVon Hamilton — a 2020 third-round choose — to a three-year extension. Gamers the group recognized and drafted and developed.
These are good strikes, however in Allen the Jaguars lastly have an important piece of the group going ahead locked down. And there could also be extra core huge offers on the best way.
The Jaguars have already had inner talks about an extension for quarterback Trevor Lawrence (No. 1 general choose in 2021), which might be within the $40 million to $50 million vary yearly. Joe Burrow is at present the highest-paid QB yearly ($55 million), with seven different quarterbacks making $45 million or extra yearly: Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Deshaun Watson and Kirk Cousins.
The precise particulars of how Allen’s extension impacts the wage cap annually — which might additionally influence the construction of any Lawrence deal, as effectively — will not be recognized till the contract is filed with the league.
The Jaguars have till Could 2 to train the fifth-year choice on Lawrence, so the group would not must signal him to an extension this offseason, however GM Trent Baalke mentioned at his end-of-season information convention that he would not rule it out.
Operating again Travis Etienne Jr., the twenty fifth choose in 2021, has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons (solely the third participant in franchise historical past to take action) and in addition is a candidate for an extension.
“I do not wish to say sure to something at this level [about whether the Jaguars are going to sign both to extensions],” Baalke mentioned on the scouting mix. “They’re good soccer gamers and also you definitely do not wish to lose them.”
Linebacker Travon Walker is coming off a 10-sack season and seems to be growing into the dominant pass-rusher the group envisioned after they took him first general in 2022. He’ll be eligible for an extension after the 2024 season.
It is early, however it seems the Jaguars have hit on proper deal with Anton Harrison, whom they drafted twenty seventh general in 2023, and he’ll be a mainstay on the offensive line.
That is 4 extra potential first-round hits who would type the core of the franchise going ahead.
Baalke is aware of that is the important thing to taking the Jaguars from a group that simply posted its first back-to-back successful seasons for the primary time since 2004-05 to a championship contender.
“There’s some good gamers on this roster that we would wish to see transferring ahead,” he mentioned.
The Jaguars have not had that sort of first-round success for the reason that early days of the franchise, with left deal with Tony Boselli, linebacker Kevin Hardy, working again Fred Taylor and security Donovin Darius, who have been 4 of the group’s first six first-round draft picks.
The Jaguars hope signing Allen might mark the start of the same run.
