The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows when they gave Trevor Lawrence a massive contract extension because he had only posted one good season of production at the time. On the other hand, they were praised for getting ahead of the curve and giving him a new deal before the market erupted. The San Francisco 49ers just made a decision that proves it was the right call.
A few days after the 2025 schedule release, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media broke the news that the Niners just gave quarterback Brock Purdy a five-year deal worth $260 million with $181 million guaranteed, including $165 million in the first three years.
Even though Lawrence’s contract is bigger, Purdy is still among the highest-paid quarterbacks, and the longer San Francisco had waited, the more they would’ve had to fork out. Given that the demand outweighs the supply at the position, the 49ers chose to pay him now and no longer have to worry about it.
Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant in 2022. Right off the bat, he showed he was a starting-caliber quarterback, completing 67.1 percent of his throws for 1,137 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He was even better in 2023, when he played a role in helping San Francisco reach the Super Bowl.
However, Purdy is coming off a somewhat down year, which kind of explains his team’s reluctance to give him a monster contract, especially when you factor in that he had a top-notch supporting cast. But as noted before, the 49ers couldn’t run the risk of potentially losing him in 2026.
Why the deal the Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence is better than Brock Purdy
Tied with Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence’s annual average of $55 million per year is the second highest in the league and will exceed Brock Purdy’s. That said, the Jacksonville Jaguars extended him when he still had two years on his deal, compared to one year on Purdy’s, so they could better spread the cap hits without taking on a significant amount of space.
It’s also worth noting that if the Jags had waited until Purdy signed his deal, they would’ve had to pay him significantly more, even though he’s coming off an injury-riddled season, because salaries for quarterbacks will only go up. Sure, Lawrence’s cap hit in 2025 would’ve been lower, but the team’s brass would’ve had to deal with the uncertainty that comes with a player entering a contract year.
The bottom line is that by getting Trevor Lawrence under contract before the 49ers gave Brock Purdy a new deal, the Jacksonville Jaguars avoided speculation and probably saved themselves a few million. They delivered. He must now hold up his end of the bargain.
