The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing left tackle Walker Little to a three-year, $45 million extension, in a deal that includes $26 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. This will keep Little under contract in Jacksonville through the 2027 season.
The deal was made just a few hours ahead of the Jags' Week 13 game against the Houston Texans.
According to the report, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke was significantly involved in the negotiations. Baalke was the interim GM in 2020 after Dave Caldwell was fired and has officially been the team's GM since the 2021 offseason.
There are a lot of question marks surrounding the team, which stands at 2-9, last in the AFC South and one of the worst records in the conference. Head coach Doug Pederson is certainly on the hot seat and the Jaguars' last game, a 52-6 loss against the Detroit Lions, didn't help his case. His job survived the bye week, but his time in Jacksonville may be soon over.
The struggles also put a spotlight on Baalke's future and whether he leaves on his own terms, get the boot or stick around. His heavy involvement in securing a piece of the offense for the future does make it look like he is committed to the team, and the team is committed to him, past this year.
Little joined the Jaguars in 2021 as a second-round pick and has remained with the team for his entire career, and this deal keeps him in a Jacksonville uniform for at least a little longer. The 25-year-old has started 19 of the 49 games he's played in.
The team made a number of significant deals this offseason, including quarterback Trevor Lawrence who signed a five-year, $275 million deal.