NFL quarterbacks are ultimately who take the brunt of the criticism when their teams aren't doing well or performing to the standard they're expected to. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is [no stranger to criticism](https://blackandteal.com/nfl-analyst-just-gave-baffling-reason-to-give-up-on-jaguars-trevor-lawrence-01k399p2gvtp) and people obviously had their fair share of opinions on the hefty extension he received last year.
Lawrence ended up signing a five-year deal worth $275 million last summer. Of course people are going to complain about the deal since Lawrence hasn't done what people were expecting him to do when he entered the league as the number one pick in 2021.
The latest shade thrown in Lawrence's direction came from an unnamed NFL executive, who, according to Jeff Howe of _The Athletic_, didn't feel that Lawrence and some of the other quarterbacks who have the biggest contracts in the league [deserved those deals](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6576049/2025/08/28/nfl-qb-contracts-mahomes-allen-prescott-burrow/).
“Now, we’re paying guys just to pay guys,” an executive was quoted as saying in Howe's article. Before leading into that quote, Howe wrote, "And frankly, teams are skeptical of the contracts handed out to QBs like Lawrence, Tagovailoa and Love — QBs who have yet to prove themselves in pivotal moments."
NFL exec takes brutal shot at Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence
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Lawrence nor Jaguars fans should be surprised by this shade thrown the former Clemson star's way. Until Lawrence and the Jags become Super Bowl contenders and ultimately win the big game, he's going to continue to be criticized. Now that he's paid like a franchise quarterback, that criticism is only going to ramp up rather than slow down.
The Jaguars did the right thing by paying Lawrence and they just have to hope that they've brought in the right head coach to help him elevate his game and that they've put the right pieces around him. They also need their former number one pick to stay healthy, something he struggled to do last year, starting just 10 games in Year 4.
Lawrence will be in Jacksonville for the foreseeable future and if he wants these sort of comments to die down, he needs to start playing like a top tier quarterback.