Edge rusher Travon Walker and the Jaguars agree on a 4-year, $110M contract extension

Audio By Carbonatix

Edge rusher Travon Walker and the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed Friday on a four-year, $110 million contract extension, his representatives said.

Elite Loyalty Sports said the deal includes $50 million fully guaranteed at signing and up to $77 million in potential guarantees.

Walker, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract and had been scheduled to make $15 million guaranteed in 2026.

Walker has 27 1/2 sacks over four seasons. He has 200 tackles, including 36 for a loss, while playing in 63 games. He has yet to make a Pro Bowl and selecting him ahead of Detroit star Aidan Hutchinson appears to be a glaring mistake for the franchise.

But Walker has nonetheless been a dependable defender and one of the best run-stopping linemen in the league over the last four seasons. He played through a dislocated left wrist and a knee injury last season.

Together, Walker and Josh Hines-Allen have helped provide a formidable front for the Jaguars and are now defensive cornerstones for general manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen for the foreseeable future.

Hines-Allen signed a five-year, $141 million contract in 2024 that included a $32 million signing bonus and $88 million guaranteed.

Jacksonville did little in free agency on defense — despite losing Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd — but is expected to heavily address that side of the ball in the NFL draft. The Jaguars need linebackers, a defensive tackle, a backup edge rusher and maybe a defensive back.

Walker's extension is a fraction of what Hutchinson got last year. He signed a four-year, $180 million extension with the Lions in October, a deal that included $141 million in total guarantees.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl