Is Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith worth his new contract?

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed linebacker Telvin Smith to a four-year contract extension. The deal is worth up to $50 million according to Adam Schefter, but Ian Rapoport reports the deal is only $44 million. Smith was in the final year of his rookie contract, and he has played all four years of his NFL career with the Jaguars.

Smith, who played four years of collegiate football at Florida State, was drafted by Jacksonville in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. In his rookie season in 2014, Smith started nine games, and he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 7. In that Week 7 game against the Browns, Telvin finished with three tackles, one sack, a forced fumble, and an interception. Smith ended his rookie year with 72 tackles and 2 sacks in 16 games, occasionally filling in as a starter.

In 2015, Smith started all 14 games he played, and in 2016, he started all 16 games for the Jaguars. Smith became one of the better defensive players on the Jaguars because of his ability to make tackles and also defend in pass coverage. During the 2015 season, he was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week once again in Week 7. In the summer of 2016, he was ranked the 83rd best player in the NFL based on a vote done by active players.

Statistically, the Jaguars have one of the best defenses in the NFL as they allow the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league. The Jaguars are also tied with the Seattle Seahawks for lowest points allowed per game at 15.7 points. The Jaguars defensive unit not only prevents the other team from moving down the field, but they also force turnovers at an elite rate as they are co-leaders with the Baltimore Ravens in team interceptions with 10 in 2017.

Though the pass defense has been elite, the most impressive statistic for the Jaguars has been the number of sacks. The Jaguars lead the NFL with 33 sacks on the season. The next best teams, the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers, have 24 sacks. Jacksonville is sacking the quarterback at such a high rate that they are on pace to break the total sacks record for a season with a projected 75, which would break the current record of 72.

Smith is definitely worth his new contract due to his past performances and being a captain of one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Jaguars signed him to a reasonable contract that still only ranks Smith 11th in salary values for NFL outside linebackers. Smith was a steal for the Jaguars in the fifth round back in 2014, and he will be a leader in the Jaguars potential playoff run this season.

Source: gearsofbiz