The Jacksonville Jaguars began their defensive overhaul in the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting Georgia defensive end Travon Walker with the number-one overall pick. Originally projected to be taken in the middle of the first round, Walker skyrocketed up draft boards after a fantastic NFL Combine performance. On Thursday, the Jaguars agreed to a contract with the former Bulldogs star, as reported by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
Jaguars DE Travon Walker's four-year, $37.4 million deal has no offset language in it, per source. First such deal this year, and the kind just two first-rounders last year got (tho Justin Fields only had partial offset language).
Those two? Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 12, 2022
Per Breer, the Jaguars have agreed to a four-year, $37.4 million contract with Walker. Notably, the deal includes no offset language.
This means that if Walker is released at any point during the tenure of his contract, the Jaguars would still be on the hook for his guaranteed money. The Jaguars have generally avoided having offset language in their rookie deals over the years.
Walker, who starred in 13 games as a junior for the Bulldogs, tallied 7.5 tackles for a loss and six sacks. He's a versatile defender who can play at linebacker or on the defensive line.
While some scouts have tabbed him as someone who requires more development than other top prospects, Walker's ability to rush the passer, set the edge in the running game and drop back into coverage on passing downs should make him a chess piece for the Jaguars.
It's not hard to see this contract aging well for both Walker and the Jaguars. That's likely part of the reason why they weren't afraid to include zero offset language in his unique deal.
Walker can now focus all of his attention on the 2022 season.
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