KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 15: A Steelers helmet and gloves before a week 6 NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs on October 15, 2017 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The Steelers won 19-13. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Before quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s fourth NFL season, general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars Trent Baalke allegedly “is pretty committed” to signing Lawrence to a contract extension.
Doug Pederson, the head coach of the Jaguars, spoke about the circumstance at a press conference on Monday.
Pederson told reporters, “I think it’s part of the business,” according to Eric Edholm of the NFL website and Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “It goes without saying that the sooner you finish it, the better. Then, we can concentrate on football and it won’t be a hindrance or linger longer. I am acquainted with Trent and [Lawrence’s] representative; they are diligently and assiduously working, and they have not stopped talking. All I have to do is coach football and Trevor, and hopefully everything will get done.”
Lawrence, the first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, had a difficult rookie season under Urban Meyer’s brief coaching tenure at Jacksonville before Pederson took over in February 2022. The Jaguars, led by Pederson and Lawrence, won a postseason game in January 2023. However, after an 8-3 start to the season, Jacksonville missed the playoffs due to various injury-related setbacks that Lawrence had to deal with.
With a 56.1 adjusted QBR and an average of 251 passing yards per game, Lawrence concluded the 2023 regular season ranked 18th among qualifying players in the NFL, according to ESPN metrics. He completed 16 games with 21 touchdown throws and 14 interceptions.
Although Lawrence’s rookie contract had a fifth-year option that the Jaguars recently exercised, signing him to an extension this summer could eventually save Jacksonville money because quarterback deals are subject to change each offseason. In the meanwhile, Pederson spoke on Monday how the 24-year-old can develop as a leader throughout the preseason and assist new teammates in getting ready for Week 1, including rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
