DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 15: Linebacker T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers stretches prior to an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, at Empower Field at Mile High on September 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
Jets would face a massive hurdle to acquire Trevor Lawrence from Jaguars.
Trading for Trevor Lawrence is easier said than done.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence under contract through 2030 but that hasn’t stopped analysts from floating the idea of trading for him. Just recently, Diana Russini of The Athletic brought up the former Clemson Tiger as a potential heir apparent to Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets.
Russini broke the news that Rodgers isn’t guaranteed to return to New York in 2025 and mentioned Lawrence, along with other quarterbacks, as possible replacements.
“Replacing Rodgers won’t be easy. The free-agent QB market is lacking, with Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson among the top names — though Wilson is expected to stay with the Steelers and the Vikings could decide to keep Darnold if he’s willing to be a backup. Justin Fields, Derek Carr (whom the Jets pursued before Rodgers) and Daniel Jones are also potential targets, but none of them stand out as an ideal fit. The Jets could explore trading for Trevor Lawrence or drafting a quarterback, though the 2025 draft class appears weak. ”
Keep in mind that Russini isn’t the only analyst that sees the Jets as a potential destination for Lawrence. Troy Brock of New York Jets on Sports Illustrated also mentioned the Jaguars quarterback as a “realistic option” to replace Rodgers.
Expected to bounce back after hurting his Achilles after playing just four snaps in 2023, Rodgers has been underwhelming this season and is a big reason New York is 3-8 heading into Week 12. Russini broke the news that Jets owner Woody Johnson suggested benching him at one point and went on to say that the former league MVP isn’t guaranteed to return in 2025. That brings us to Lawrence.
The first overall pick in the 2021 draft, Lawrence has become the subject of speculation in the midst of the Jaguars’ underwhelming record this season. Projected to compete with the Houston Texans for the AFC South title, they instead are 2-8 and are on pace to clinch the No. 1 pick next year. Add the fact that Jacksonville will probably dismiss head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, and Lawrence’s future with the organization suddenly appears to be murky.
The one reason the Jaguars won’t be trading Trevor Lawrence in 2025
Just recently, former NFL running back Tiki Barber proposed Trevor Lawrence as Daniel Jones’ successor with the New York Jets. This is to say that he’s become a trendy subject of trade speculation for virtually every team who’s in need of quarterback help. That said, the New York Jets, just like the G-Men face a crucial hurdle to acquire the Knoxville, Tennessee native.
See, Lawrence’s contract has been brought up in most trade scenarios. It’s been discussed that teams would need to take on the $275 million deal he signed in the 2024 season. The contract will kick in until 2026, so in theory, the team that traded for him would also acquire his contract. That’s where most conversations stop.
The issue is that the Jaguars have already given him a signing bonus spread over the next few years, and if they were to trade him in 2025, they would accelerate a cap charge of $133 million and leave $116 million in dead money. It would leave the team without any space to work with. Simply put, it’s not feasible.
Perhaps if Lawrence were struggling, the Jags would trade him and take on the cap charge in exchange for a haul of draft picks, but that isn’t the case. Granted, they’re looking at a rebuild in the upcoming years, but they probably won’t touch the quarterback position. Think about it, the odds of finding a franchise quarterback aren’t in their favor, so it wouldn’t make sense to trade the one they have and start over.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence a top-market deal in the offseason for a reason. Maybe things will change in a couple years, but for the time being, his contract ensures that they’ll stay committed to him.
