The Jacksonville Jaguars may be alienating one of their star players before they even have the chance to open contract negotiations.
Standout Jaguars pass rusher Josh Allen is set to become a free agent this offseason, and the two sides have yet to discuss a long-term deal. That did not stop general manager Trent Baalke from saying publicly on Thursday that the organizational plan is for Allen to “be a Jaguar.”
These comments may not have had the intended effect. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Allen’s camp is unhappy that Baalke opened up to the media about the state of negotiations without first discussing a new deal with them.
Allen is ready to discuss a deal, and his camp is confused as to why Baalke has not come to them while simultaneously discussing his status with the media.
Allen is coming off a career-high 17.5 sacks and is certainly in line for a major deal. At this rate, he may be forced to settle for the franchise tag. If that further alienates his camp, Baalke may find his unpopularity among Jaguars fans deepening even further.
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