On Thursday, Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke told reporters that he hasn’t yet begun contract talks with pass rusher Josh Allen, but assured everyone that “Josh will be a Jaguar.”
That sentiment reportedly didn’t sit well with the veteran outside linebacker.
“Allen’s camp is not happy that Baalke would take time to talk to the media about Allen before taking time to Allen or his agent about Allen,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday. “Allen’s camp has been ready, willing, and waiting to engage in negotiations.”
Baalke has held to a steadfast philosophy that he won’t negotiate any players’ contract during football season. While the Green Bay Packers’ Rashan Gary and Chicago Bears’ Montez Sweat both secured lucrative deals in the middle of the 2023 season, talks with Allen were put off until the offseason.
But the Jaguars’ season ended nearly three weeks ago with a Week 18 loss to the Tennessee Titans and there’s still been no negotiations.
Given Baalke’s lackadaisical approach to talks with Allen and assurances that he’ll be in Jacksonville, regardless, it seems the franchise tag — which must be applied before a March 5 deadline — is inevitable for the two-time Pro Bowler.
If the Jaguars hope for him to reach a long-term deal before the 2024 season begins, they aren’t doing themselves any favors by antagonizing Allen with a blasé approach. And if no deal is reached by the July deadline for franchised players, Allen would have every reason to be a lengthy holdout and perhaps even miss regular season games.
Allen finished the 2023 season with a career-high 17.5 sacks, second most in the NFL.
