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'Josh will be a Jaguar': GM Trent Baalke confident free agent Josh Allen will stay
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- 'Josh will be a Jaguar': GM Trent Baalke confident free agent Josh Allen will stay
Jacksonville Jaguars' general manager Trent Baalke is confident outside linebacker Josh Allen will be back in Jacksonville next season.
But he's non-committal on exactly how a deal will be worked out and revealed negotiations with the single-season franchise-leader in sacks haven't even started yet.
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"Josh will be a Jaguar," he said during his end-of-year media availability Thursday, but he said the talks were "very far" from being completed, adding, "[We] haven't started. Those negotiations will start."
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) points to a familiar face before a regular season NFL football matchup Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Allen is coming off the best season of his career. He shattered the single-season sack record in Jacksonville with 17.5 — tied for second most in the NFL.
Allen had 66 total tackles, including 17 for a loss, 33 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and an interception this year. He was named to the Pro Bowl and selected to the Pro Football Writers of America All-AFC team.
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He's set to become a free agent this offseason and will have huge interest as one of the premiere pass rushers on the market.
"My agent does all the type of negotiating," Allen said during Jacksonville's locker cleanout a few weeks ago. "We'll talk when we need to talk, but at this time, right now, I'm worried about getting my body back right, spending time with my family and keep focusing on what I'm going to do next year."
Jaguars first-round pick Josh Allen answers questions and holds his 1-year-old son, Wesley, as coach Doug Marrone, left, and general manager Dave Caldwell listen during a news conference Friday at TIAA Bank Field. [Will Dickey/GateHouse Florida]
The market has already been set for Allen with the Bears inking defensive end Montez Sweat to a four-year, $98 million deal in November. Sweat recorded 12.5 sacks in 2023 and has 41.5 in his career compared to Allen's 45 in five seasons.
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"I know Josh wants to be here, I know we want him here," Baalke said. "Can we come to a number that works for everybody? That's the key."
The Jaguars could've opted to sign Allen to a new contract already, but it goes against Baalke's style. He does not work on in-season deals and is not opposed to using the franchise tag to buy time to get a deal done.
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) pumps up the crowd Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 at Miller Electric Center at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Today marked the first padded practice.
The club did this last year with tight end Evan Engram , signing him to the franchise tag in March before working out a three-year deal worth $41.25 million in July.
But Baalke didn't want to tie himself to using the tag, leaving room for a new deal to be done sooner than later.
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"I'm not going to commit to anything right now relative to the franchise tag," he said. "But at the same token, Josh Allen is going to be a Jaguar next year."
Juston Lewis is a Jacksonville Jaguars beat reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on the website formerly known as Twitter at @JustonLewis_ .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars GM Trent Baalke: 'Josh Allen is going to be here in 2024'
