National Pundits Might Forget About Travon Walker, But Jaguars Won’t

For the second time in his career on Thursday, T.J.

Watt became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

That could be good news for the Jaguars, who need to find common ground on a multi-year extension for their own edge rusher, Travon Walker.

Walker, who turns 25 in December, is entering his fourth NFL season and eligible for a lucrative second contract.

But curiously, Walker gets lost in national conversations, routinely forgotten during discussions of the next edge rushers to get paid.

Hes already earned a great deal of respect within his own organization, however, according to OnSI Jaguars insider John Shipley.

You just take everything into account, Shipley said Thursday on Jacksonville Sportsradio 1010XL, his draft pedigree, his production, the fact that every coaching staff and every front office who has been with the franchise since he's been here has absolutely loved the guy , including the new one.

You talk to people in the building, like I have over the course of the offseason, and he is one of the guys that this new regime is just all-in on .

Indeed, both Liam Coen and James Gladstone have had nothing but positive comments on the third-year defender, originally the NFLs No.

1-overall selection in 2022.

That doesnt mean theyre planning to pay him more than Micah Parsons or Watt, whose new contract averages $41 million per year -- $1 million more annually than Myles Garrett.

Shipley said that if Walker were to sign prior to the regular season, hed likely command in the neighborhood of his teammate, Josh Hines-Allen, who averages just under $30 million per season on a five-year extension he signed in April 2024.

Hines-Allen and the Jaguars at that time were in a similar situation relative to the edge-rusher market.

Jacksonville needed the 49ers and Nick Bosa to agree on his second contract, which they did on the eve of the 2023 regular-season, before inking Hines-Allen the following spring.

Walker may want to wait and gamble on himself, though.

If he can remain healthy and continue his upward trajectory his sack totals have been 312 in 2022, 10 in 2023 and 1012 in 2024 waiting might behoove him financially.

If you're Travon's camp, Shipley said, do you need to necessarily rush into it? You're already getting the fifth-year option.

You already know that, one way or another, you're going to get paid by the Jaguars.

And even if it weren't by the Jaguars, somebody's going to pay Travon Walker a pretty penny.

The Detroit Lions selected Hutchinson second overall in 2022, just after the Jaguars chose Walker.

Hutchinson was leading the NFL in sacks when a freak accident broke his leg and ended his season in Week 6 last year.

Hes averaged 0.73 sacks per game (2812 in 39 career games) compared to Walkers 0.49 per-game average (24 in 49 games).

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