Jaguars Have Smallest 2020 QB Cap Hits in NFL Before Draft
A lot can change between now and this month's NFL Draft, but as of today the Jacksonville Jaguars are in their own distinct category when it comes to paying quarterbacks in 2020.
According to data put together by Spotrac, the Jaguars have the least amount of cap space allocated to quarterbacks on their active roster in the entire NFL, a result of each of the Jaguars' quarterbacks being cost-controlled passers who are on their rookie contracts.
According to Spotrac, the Jaguars have only $1,547,721 in 2020 cap space tied up to their quarterback room, which consists of second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew II and fourth-year quarterback Josh Dobbs. This means the Jaguars have only 0.75% of their 2020 cap allocated to the quarterback position, while the NFL average is 9.1%.
Simply put, the Jaguars are in a radically different situation when it comes to money put aside for quarterbacks compared to the rest of the NFL. While most teams have at least one veteran on the roster who accounts for a few million, even the teams with quarterbacks on rookie contracts as their starters account for more cap allocated to the position due to the draft position of the passers.
For instance, the Baltimore Ravens have a young, cost-controlled quarterback in Lamar Jackson and they have the 29th-most cap allocated to the quarterback position, with only $5,798,348 due in 2020.
Why the difference from the Jaguars? Jackson is the 36th highest-paid quarterback ($2,583,176) in 2020 according to Spotrac, while Minshew is the 69th highest-paid quarterback ($722,721) this season. Despite each being young passers on their rookie deals, one was a first-round selection, and another was a sixth-round pick.
With the Jaguars set to start a young sixth-rounder at quarterback, they have less money committed to the position than any other team starter young passers. Dobbs, Jacksonville's backup, is also one of the cheapest quarterbacks in the league and is tied for the 61st highest-cap hit at $825,000
The Jaguars are one of only two teams with less than 1% of their 2020 cap allocated to quarterbacks, according to Spotrac. The only other team is the New England Patriots, who currently have 0.92% of their 2020 cap committed to passers.
In comparison to the rest of the AFC South, there is a deep divide between the four teams and how they are compensating the quarterback positions. No team is spending more money on quarterbacks in 2020 than the Indianapolis Colts, who have $47,125,000 allocated to the position due to the high cap hits of Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett, according to Spotrac.
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans have the 13th-most 2020 cap dollars divided up for quarterbacks at $23,110,000. Ryan Tannehill, who just signed a new deal this offseason, has the ninth-largest cap hit at the position in 2020. The Houston Texans are 24th, with $9,083,207 paid out to quarterbacks in 2020, according to Spotrac.
Obviously, the Jaguars' figure being so low is in large part due to the trade that sent Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears for a 2020 fourth-round pick. Foles was scheduled to have a cap hit of over $21 million in 2020 before the Bears reworked his contract, and this would have put the Jaguars in the middle of the pack in terms of cap allocation.
Note: The Jaguars are still on the hook for Foles' dead money in 2020, but since he isn't on the active roster anymore, he isn't included in these figures.
