'There's been some conversations': Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence talks contract extension
Trevor Lawrence still isn't worried about when a contract extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars will come but did indicate Tuesday afternoon that the negotiations have continued.
"There's definitely been some conversations," Lawrence said when asked about the status of negotiations Wednesday. "As far as where that's at now, it's not really my focus. I'd love to obviously be a Jag for as long as possible. We love it here and I love where we're headed as an organization and I feel like I'm just getting better every year."
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Lawrence, 24, was drafted with the first-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He originally signed a four-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $36,794,488 shortly after.
Lawrence is eligible to have his fifth-year option picked up on May 2 this year. The team has not indicated whether or not that will occur at this point. If the team does pick up Lawrence's fifth-year option, he will make a fully guaranteed salary of $25,664,000, according to OverTheCap, in 2025, barring a contract extension.
Fifth-year options are based on a variety of factors including draft position, Pro Bowl nods and playing time.
Thus far in his career, Lawrence has completed 63.8% of his passes for 11,770 yards, 58 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. The Jaguars have made the playoffs once during his brief tenure, making it to the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs during the 2022-23 season.
At the end of January, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke did not rule out a contract extension with Lawrence this year. Later at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Baalke indicated that those negotiations were ongoing.
"We've started discussions and, as you know, those are gonna be ongoing. None of this stuff happens overnight. You work diligently between the two parties to try to get something done," Baalke said at the time.
Lawrence is cognizant of his status with the team, understanding that he is entering the potentially final two years of his contract in Jacksonville. But, at the end of the day, he said, his job doesn't change.
"Going into my fourth year. It's not like this is necessarily gonna be my last season. There's a lot that could happen. So, [a contract extension] is not really my focus right now," Lawrence said.
"At the end of the day, my job isn't gonna change whether I get extended or not before this season. My job is to go win games and to be the best I can be for this team so we can have a chance to win a Super Bowl."
Teams with quarterbacks around Lawrence's age have already inked their players to new deals. Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts and Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert all signed their deals last year.
Among those who signed, Burrow is set to earn the most at $55 million per year. He signed a five-year, $275 million contract that included $219.01 million guaranteed with the Bengals last year.
Trevor Lawrence returning after injury-riddled finish in 2023
Though the contract talks will be part of the ongoing discussion surrounding Lawrence until it gets done, his health may be the next talking point.
Last year, Lawrence dealt with multiple injuries near the end of the season including injuries to his ankle, knee, head and shoulder. Essentially, all of the body parts of the famous children's song.
Lawrence missed one game, but plenty of practices during that time and indicated Wednesday that he didn't feel fully healthy until sometime in March.
"When March hit, I felt really good, lifting and doing everything totally normal. I'd been so used to the back half of the season adjusting everything, whether it was a workout or practice or whatever it was," Lawrence said.
"I gave myself, I would work out but still modified, until March I'd say, that's when I started to feel 100%, doing the stuff that I normally do and can kind of get back in the kind of shape I want to be and train the way I wanted. So, yeah, it took a while."
Entering this season, Lawrence said some of the plan to stay healthy include protecting himself and avoiding unnecessary hits.
"I think the thing to learn about is maybe the way I play, maybe there's some times where I can avoid some hits. You just gotta stay healthy, the teams that get better every week and that stay healthy are usually the teams that go pretty far into the playoffs and win the Super Bowl," he said.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence talks ongoing contract extension negotiations
