JAGUARS MAKE BRANDON LINDER HIGHEST PAID CENTER IN NFL HISTORY

The Jaguars and Brandon Linder have agreed to an extension making him the highest paid center in NFL history.

By Jordan de Lugo
Follow Jordan on Twitter

---

It was originally reported by Peter Ariz, who is the owner of the Canes Insight blog, that the Jaguars were nearing a deal with center/guard Brandon Linder. The report said the deal would be for five years and in the $50-$60 million range. 

Brandon Linder is nearing a 5-year extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the $50-60 million range #Canes #Jags

— Peter Ariz (@PeterAriz) July 25, 2017

Now that the deal has become final Brandon Linder is the highest paid center in NFL history. His extension is worth $51.7 million over 5 years and $24 million guaranteed.

Linder has played at a near Pro Bowl level over the last couple of seasons, so the Jaguars making him a priority re-sign is no surprise. Now he'll have to show that he deserves it. Staying healthy hasn't been a strong suit of Linder's during his three years in the NFL. He has been a bit of an injury liability. Since he was drafted by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2014 draft Linder has missed 16 games, most of which came in 2015 when he missed all but three games.

​Linder was entering the last year of his rookie contract. Linder is the first player from the Jaguars 2014 draft class that has been signed to a long term deal (Allen Hurns has been resigned with the team, but he was an undrafted free agent, not a member of that draft class).

The Jaguars still have around $37 million in cap space after the Linder deal and will need to put that to good use and Allen Robinson, Telvin Smith, and Marqise Lee all enter the final year of their rookie deal. 

Stay tuned for more.

Excited to see Linder get an extension? Think someone else should have gotten an extension first?

Let us know in the comments below