Why Trevor Lawrence is finally set up for sustained success
In Trevor Lawrence's 5 years as a starter, he has never had a consistent roster around him, but what has been even more problematic has been the influx of coaches in his ear. Lawrence has had three head coaches and 4 play-callers in his first 5 years, which has been a big reason for his inconsistencies.
Even excluding the circus that was the 2021 Jaguars, Lawrence has fallen victim to his surroundings after showing flashes of success. The former 1st overall pick broke out in 2022 with Doug Pederson calling the plays. Despite this, Pederson inexplicably handed the play-calling duties to Press Taylor.
Though the offense was shaky, the Jaguars had navigated themselves to an 8-3 record with a chance at the number 1 seed. Instead, Lawrence got hurt, and the next 5 games were a complete disaster. Fast forward to 2024, and Press Taylor continued to call plays with a now retooled offense. The Gabe Davis signing was a flop, Christian Kirk and Evan Engram both suffered season-ending injuries, and the running game was nonexistent.
The season, while largely already over, fully imploded when Lawrence suffered a season-ending concussion against the Texans in week 13. It was clear the Jaguars were heading into yet another rebuild.
While the process to get general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen was shaky, it appeared things were finally headed in the right direction. Gladstone prioritized the offensive line, drafting Travis Hunter, as well as multiple running backs, and Liam Coen hired young up-and-coming coaches to fill out the coordinator positions. The Jaguars were finally taking the roster and coaching management seriously to properly support their franchise quarterback.
Trading for Jakobi Meyers, along with Liam Coen's backing of Lawrence, set the stage for the second half of the season, where the Jaguars would win 8 straight games with one of the best offenses in the NFL. The season ended in dissappointment, but the Jaguars have much of their future in place, veterans and young players alike, along with both coordinators being retained for the 2026 NFL season.
This will be the first time Trevor Lawrence will have the continuity among the offensive skill positions and coaching staff. Coming off a career year, this is exactly what the young quarterback needs. The flashes have always been there, and in 2025 it came together in the back half of the season. Now, Lawrence will have an opportunity to put together a complete season for the first time in his career.