Telvin Smith New Deal: Worth Every Penny

Photo by: Phillips Helmets

A fifth round pick now in his 4th year with the Jaguars, Linebacker Telvin Smith signed a new 4-year contract Wednesday night worth an estimated $50 million. Better than thought from the beginning, Smith has earned a new deal based on his development and leadership for the Jaguars. After leading the team in missed tackles last year, Smith’s fundamentals have improved according to his position coach and that’s why he’s a better player this year.

Smith signing during the season allows the Jaguars to apply some money to the salary cap this year. They currently are more than $33 million under the cap according to the NFLPA. Telvin is scheduled to make $1.8 million this year and is the second draft pick of the 2014 class to sign a second deal. Brandon Linder signed a new $51 million deal before the season.

“I am excited about the opportunity to continue my career in Jacksonville and stay with the team that believed in me coming into the league in 2014,” said Smith. “I am grateful for my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches and the incredible Jaguars fans for always supporting me and allowing me to play this game that I love. I also want to thank Shad Khan and the Jaguars organization for believing in me and giving me this amazing opportunity. We have created a bond in that locker room and everyone is committed to our goal of winning football games.”

Smith, 6-3, 215, has appeared in 53 career games with 47 starts since originally being drafted in the fifth round (144th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. Telvin is a defensive captain in 2017 and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 5 at Pittsburgh after finishing with a game-high 10 tackles and a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Jaguars’ victory. The award marked Smith’s third time winning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, the most by a defender in Jaguars history.

“Telvin has been a productive player and an important part of our defense, and he has earned this second contract,” said Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin. “We want to identify the players who will contribute to help this team win going forward, and reward those who can do that. Telvin is certainly one of those players for us. This is a high performance business, and we look for his continued development as a team leader both on and off the field.”

Smith, who leads the team with 58 tackles, has made double-digit tackles in three of the last four games. For his career, Smith played collegiately at Florida State, grew up in Valdosta, Ga., and attended Lowndes (Ga.) High School where he led the team with a Class 5A Championship during his junior season.