Trevor Lawrence signs rookie contract, Jaguars journey begins

Trevor Lawrence is now under contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars; let the journey begin. 

Trevor Lawrence was selected No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars and heralded as the next great quarterback, but he hasn’t signed his contract; until now. The rookie from Clemson has signed his first deal worth over $36 million with over $24 million in guaranteed money, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Now that he’s signed, he can report to camp and work to revitalize a team that is a far cry from their expansion roots. Many forget that Jacksonville burst out of the gates rather quickly when they first entered the league. Though they went 4-12 in their first season, the next year resulted in a berth in the AFC Championship aGme against Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots.

Since then, however, it hasn’t been all roses. Sure, there have been great players that have made their mark in Jacksonville, but the wins haven’t necessarily followed, and in the NFL, talent will keep you employed, but lack of winning can be your detriment. Jacksonville has seen it happen quite often.

Now, they have a quarterback whom they believe is the one that can take the next step and bring credence to the city. After all, they do have a head coach who is known for winning, but in the NFL, you can have a great game plan, but it all goes for naught if the quarterback position is unstable. Lawrence, on the other hand, should have no issues.

Trevor Lawrence is in the saddle; now, the Jaguars have to get him the horses for his success.

The best news that Jacksonville has going for them is that Lawrence is on a rookie deal. But that only provides so much comfort as the time to win is now. The best solution to win in today’s league is to have a quarterback on a rookie deal, then put the requisite pieces around him and build a winner.

It’s a strategy that has worked consistently in the modern era, although there have been a few exceptions. We rarely see a team such as the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers assemble essentially a dream team and take it all, but it has happened.

However, that’s not to say that Jacksonville can’t attract quality players and establish their own brand of dominance. After all, Urban Meyer is known for having supremely talented teams, albeit at the college level, but he hasn’t coached at the pros.

Thankfully, he does have a quarterback who looks the most pro-ready, and not many coaches are gifted with that, but with it comes heavy responsibility. There is so much that remains to be seen. But Jacksonville is in a situation where the cameras aren’t necessarily going to be on them all the time as Dallas will endure on Hard Knocks this season.

It’s a blessing in disguise that Jacksonville, specifically Trevor Lawrence, will need as he begins his journey from a hotshot college quarterback with an impeccable resume, to hopefully, the franchise quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars.