The five-year, $275 million contract quarterback Trevor Lawrence inked with the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier in June caught a lot of people by surprise.
Lawrence’s average annual salary of $55 million matched fellow quarterback Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals for the most in NFL history.
We’re also likely to see other quarterbacks receive massive extensions ahead of training camp. That includes Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) and Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys). Heck, San Francisco 49ers star Brock Purdy is expected to become the highest-paid NFL player in history next offseason.
For some, the money is getting out of hand.
It has led to a radical discussion from some owners about placing a salary cap on the quarterback position.
“There has certainly been discussion within the league among certain owners about even the idea of a quarterback cap, that at some point you don’t want quarterback numbers to go over a certain percentage of your salary cap,” NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero noted, via The Rich Eisen Show.
The insider did indicate that this idea “hasn’t really gained traction, in part because so many teams have paid their quarterbacks.”
The sticker shock of Lawrence’s contract likely led to these owners discussing some sort of alternative moving forward. After all, he has not been a top-flight quarterback since Jacksonville selected the Clemson product No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
- Trevor Lawrence career stats: 63.8% completion, 11,770 yards, 58 TD, 39 INT, 85.0 QB rating
Owners justified in concern over NFL quarterback contracts
A total of 14 quarterbacks are making at least $40 million annually heading into the 2024 season. This number stood at just three back in 2022.
It’s one thing to give a franchise signal caller top-line money. We’re talking the Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen’s of the world. Doing the same thing with non-elite NFL quarterbacks is a completely different thing.
One unnamed NFL general manager agreed.
In the very same Pelissero clip, said general manager indicated the Dolphins should let Tua Tagovailoa play out his contract rather than sign him to an extension. “You can’t do a deal at that number, it’s gone too far,” the GM said.
Other teams are going to be in the same situation moving forward. Jordan Love is expected to demand a deal from the Green Bay Packers that will pay him north of the $55 million annually both Burrow and Lawrence are earning. Love has started all of 18 games in his career.
At this point, the aforementioned Purdy will likely ink a deal next offseason (when he’s first eligible) that will pay him $65-plus million.
Someone has to draw a line in the sand somewhere.
Related: Trevor Lawrence and the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback