Trevor Lawrence's contract details: Why the Jaguars are tying the quarterback long-term and with guaranteed money

Trevor Lawrence could have gotten a big second contract after being selected No. 1 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Jaguars took care of that deal before he spent his fourth season in the NFL.

Lawrence would have been in the final year of his original four-year rookie contract. Now he's signed a long-term deal to be Jacksonville's franchise QB, despite some shaky games and just one Pro Bowl appearance early in his career.

Here's a breakdown of how much Lawrence has made and will continue to make in the league as he tries to live up to expectations.

MORE: The highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL for 2024 at a glance

Trevor Lawrence’s contract history

Lawrence received the best rookie contract of any player drafted in 2022: a four-year deal with $36.8 million guaranteed. That draft value has risen to $39.4 million for Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024.

At signing, Lawrence was guaranteed approximately $27.6 million, representing the first three years or 75 percent of the total contract value.

Trevor Lawrence contract details

Lawrence's contract was extended for five years and is worth $275 million, giving him an average of $55 million per year. In terms of total contract value and AAV, these numbers are in line with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

It is noteworthy that Burrow, the first overall pick of 2020, received a huge boost from the second contract of Kyler Murray, the first overall pick of 2019. Murray received a five-year, $230.5 million contract from the Cardinals, which equates to an average annual salary of $46.1 million.

In contrast, the total and annual value of Lawrence and Burrow's base salary parameters remained unchanged, unlike what Burrow got compared to Murray after replacing him as the top pick. This means Burrow was well rewarded for leading the Bengals past Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the 2022 AFC Championship playoffs.

Lawrence cannot boast the same success as Burrow, either as an individual or as a team, as he has also led the Jaguars to the playoffs only once in 2022, when he became AFC South champions.

Lawrence ended up receiving $200 million for his guaranteed salary, making him the sixth quarterback to receive this award after Dak Prescott set the new standard with $231 million in his new Cowboys contract. Also ahead of Lawrence in terms of guarantees are Deshaun Watson of the Browns ($231 million), Burrow ($219 million), Justin Herbert of the Chargers ($218.7 million) and Mahomes ($210.6 million).

However, Lawrence is just ahead of now two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson ($185 million) and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts ($179.399 million), both of whom were also selected in previous drafts. No other QB selected in the first round of the 2021 draft – Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields or Mac Jones – will outscore Lawrence, as none of them are still on their original teams and all are trying to stay on the second teams.

Lawrence's career numbers still need improvement. His passer rating in Week 3 of the 2024 season is just 84.9, which ranks him 29th among active quarterbacks, which includes more experienced backups and Bridges. Additionally, he went 20-32 in his 53rd regular season start, a winning percentage of just .384.

For now, Lawrence got his lucrative deal because the market for quarterbacks is rising and the Jaguars believe he has Burrow's potential. Lawrence will have a few more seasons to prove it, however, as Jacksonville can't get out of his contract without taking a dead money hit until after the 2028 season at the earliest.