Allen Hurns got paid. The 24-year-old inked a four-year extension yesterday rumored to be worth $40MM (with $20MM in guaranteed money).
While some NFL players are content with securing a big payday and then coasting, the former undrafted free agent is still looking to prove a point.
“It [the contract] for sure won’t change me,” Hurns told ESPN.com’s Mike DiRocco. “No matter how much money I make I’m still going to step on the field thinking about the day I went undrafted. That will stay with me forever.”
Hurns has clearly already proven that he belongs in the NFL. In two seasons, the former Miami Hurricanes standout has compiled 115 catches for 1,708 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Let’s take a look at some more notes pertaining to Hurns’ pricey extension…
- DiRocco writes that Hurns’ new deal came together relatively quickly. The two sides began negotiating shortly after the NFL draft, and the extension truly gained traction when agent Drew Rosenhaus visited Jaguars executives on Thursday.
- While some front offices may be wary of extending a former undrafted free agent, Hurns track record proved that he was worth the risk. “He’s done it two years in a row,” said Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell (via Hays Carlyon of Jacksonville.com). “This wasn’t just a one-year wonder and that’s another reason why we felt comfortable with it. Two years of production, plus the type of person and character he is. It was the right decision on our part.”
- Despite being his team’s second receiver and having only played two seasons in the NFL, Hurns $10MM annual salary still ranks tenth among NFL wideouts, notes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Hurns restricted free agent tag provided the Jaguars with some leverage, but Fitzgerald believes Hurns emerged with the “best deal signed by a player in that spot since Arian Foster.”