The Jacksonville Jaguars just gave Trevor Lawrence one of the largest contracts in NFL history even though he only won one NFL playoff game.
Lawrence's contract begins in 2026 and is worth $275 million over five years. While the total figure of $275 million is surpassed by the $503 million over 10 years that Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes has received, the $55 million annual figure in Lawrence's contract is tied with the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Burrow, for the highest average annual salary.
Lawrence was the No. 1 pick in 2021 and has had an up-and-down start to his career, in part due to injuries. While he has impressed, particularly two seasons ago when he led the Jaguars to the Divisional Round, his place among the NFL's best quarterbacks is in question.
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That's different from Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who is widely considered one of the best receivers in the game. Jefferson signed an extension with the Vikings earlier this month for $140 million over four years, which works out to $35 million annually.
The difference in final numbers between Jefferson and Lawrence illustrates the difference in market value between positions in the NFL, particularly in terms of how much more money teams allocate to their quarterbacks.
That has created a dilemma for NFL teams regarding the allocation of their funds, with some owners questioning the current structure.
Some NFL owners have discussed a separate salary cap for QBs
With the salary cap rising as the NFL continues to see its annual revenue soar, quarterback salaries continue to rise as well.
Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Tuesday, June 18, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said there are some NFL owners who have floated the idea of limiting the amount quarterbacks can receive to a certain percentage of the salary cap. of a team.
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“There's certainly been discussion within the league, Rich, among certain owners even about the idea of a quarterback cap,” Pelissero said. “That at some point you want your quarterback numbers to not exceed a certain percentage of your salary cap.
There are no caps on any NFL player salaries as long as they are within the salary cap, which for 2024 is $255.4 million, more than $30 million more than last season.
A quarterback cap would mirror the structure of the NBA, where there is a maximum contract any player can receive, regardless of position. Depending on a player's tenure and accomplishments, that contract can be up to 35% of a team's salary.
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However, the NFL likely won't adopt this anytime soon, as Pelissero said the suggestion “hasn't gained traction,” in part because many teams have already signed their quarterbacks to long deals.
Still, the fact that this is a discussion among some owners suggests there is an active discussion about the league's salary structure as quarterback contracts continue to shoot for the moon.
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