In an offseason featuring a number of high-profile extensions being worked out, the Jaguars have taken care of another important piece of business. Cornerback Tyson Campbell has reached agreement on an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
Rapoport notes this is a four-year deal carrying a value of $76.5MM. The pact includes an effective guarantee of $53.4MM, making this a notable commitment on the team’s part. Campbell now becomes the top earner at the cornerback position amongst players who have yet to receive a Pro Bowl nod.
Three corners are attached to deals with an annual average value of $20MM or higher. Campbell, 24, will move into seventh in the pecking order with an AAV of $19.13MM with this deal. Across his three seasons in Jacksonville, he has started all but one of his 43 games. After establishing himself as a key member of Jacksonville’s secondary, Campbell will now be on the books through the 2028 campaign.
The former second-rounder displayed considerable ball skills during his first two campaigns. Between 2021 and ’22, Campbell totaled five interceptions and 25 pass deflections. The 2023 season saw a regression in that regard (one interception, five breakups) and Campbell also took a step back in the coverage department. The Georgia alum allowed eight touchdowns and a passer rating of 128.5 as the nearest defender, both the worst figures of his career.
In spite of that, Jacksonville has made another big-money commitment to a homegrown player. Edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen signed an extension averaging $28.25MM per year this offseason, setting the stage for a Trevor Lawrence deal. The latter inked a monster pact of his own, tying Joe Burrow for the top spot at the quarterback position ($55MM per year). Today’s Campbell deal is not on the same level of those commitments, but it further underscores the organization’s intention of retaining in-house players rather than making outside additions.
Jacksonville did take the latter route by adding Ronald Darby in free agency, but his pact (two years, $8.5MM) is the only other cornerback deal featuring notable guaranteed money. Campbell will face increased expectations moving forward given his big-ticket extension and Jacksonville’s general hopes of rebounding from the underwhelming end to the 2023 campaign.
Darnell Savage was added at the safety spot this spring, and Andre Cisco profiles as a logical extension candidate as early as this offseason. For now, though, Campbell finds himself in a tier of his own with respect to Jaguars compensation in the secondary. If he returns to his pre-2023 form, today’s investment could prove to be worthwhile.
It’s a lot considering the year he’s coming off but Jags backed themselves into this corner when they cut Darious Williams and didn’t take a corner early in the draft. Left themselves with no proven option under contract in 2025 so either they pay Campbell now or they let him play out the season; if he played bad then they would’ve just let him walk but likely have a huge hole at CB or if he played well they probably would’ve had to overpay as he neared free agency/franchise tag him.
This guy has given up 17 YD as main defender in 3 years and 42 games started.
Can you imagine paying that much for a guy this bad? Zero time first team all pro, zero time second team all pro, zero time pro bowl.
Gilmore gave up 4 TDs last year and is unsigned.
Leave it to the Jaguars for blowing up the WR market, the QB market, and now the CB market.