3 Observations on the Jaguars Extending Tyson Campbell

What do we make of the Jaguars' decision to extend their No. 1 cornerback?

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell (32) looks on during an organized team activity Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

Tyson Campbell is the latest Jacksonville Jaguars player to sign a record contract with the franchise, with the fourth-year cornerback following in the steps of Josh Hines-Allen and Trevor Lawrence.

The Jaguars agreed to a deal with the fourth-year corner to a 4-year, $76.5M deal with $53.4M guaranteed on Tuesday, one day before the Jaguars open training camp. Campbell is now the highest-paid defensive back in franchise history.

"I’m blessed to stay in Jacksonville and thankful God is allowing me to continue building something special with my brothers on the field and in the community," Campbell said in a statement. "I want to thank the Jaguars for making my NFL dreams come true three years ago and for still believing in me today.”

“Tyson is a young, talented player who is an integral part of our defense and core member of our locker room. He is a consummate professional on and off the field and we are confident that his best lies ahead," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said.

So, what do we make of Campbell's new deal? Our initial thoughts are broken down below.

Trent Baalke continues to build the Jaguars in his style

While the Jaguars have been active in free agency at times during their most recent rebuild, this has often been an act of necessity. The Jaguars used free agency to fill out the gaps in their roster as they drafted and developed younger players, and now is the time for the Jaguars to take the next step forward in their plan. Those young players, like Campbell, Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen, have now developed into top talents at their positions, which means it is an offseason of shifting gears for the Jaguars.

The Jaguars have made retaining their young core an emphasis during the tenure of general manager Trent Baalke, and it has come to fruition this offseason. The days of the Jaguars being, as owner Shad Khan said, addicted to free agency appear to be over, and Campbell's deal is simply another piece of ammunition for that argument.

Campbell's talent is not the question moving forward

There is obviously a fair amount of risk in offering this level of a contract to a 24-year-old player who, to this point, hasn't always played to that level. But the context surrounding Campbell and his now three-year stint as the Jaguars' No. 1 cornerback doesn't involve much risk in terms of his talent. Campbell steadily improved when moved from the nickel to the outside spot in 2021, and his 2022 season was genuinely Pro Bowl-caliber in terms of his consistency in coverage.

2023, though, was not the version of Campbell the Jaguars are paying. Campbell was once again one of the team's best defenders through the first six games of the season, but a hamstring injury sidelined him for a few weeks and he just never looked right after that.

When Campbell has been healthy, he has been one of the better young cornerbacks in the NFL and there is evidence to suggest he has another level he can hit. If he stays healthy, he just might. But the risk in this scenario is exactly that -- if he can stay healthy. It, however, is now a risk in terms of the talent Campbell is.

Why this move was important to make now

The Jaguars have prepared themselves with a lot of flexibility for 2025 thanks to this move. With Campbell now under contract, the Jaguars don't have to worry about a future timeline for their top cover man. If Campbell had gone unsigned and then thrived in 2024, there would be no sure thing the Jaguars would be able to sign him before the franchise tag deadline. And if that were to happen, then Campbell would have been an obvious franchise tag candidate. That clearly is no longer the case.

The Jaguars' top pending free agents entering the season are now left tackles Cam Robinson and Walker Little and safety Andre Cisco, while running back Travis Etienne will have his fifth-year option in place. With Campbell now signed for the long-term, the Jaguars have the franchise tag at their disposal if they want to ensure that they don't lose one of Robinson, Little or Cisco. This is far from a guarantee the Jaguars would even use the tag in that scenario, but it at least fives them flexibility.

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