Will QB Trevor Lawrence help Jaguars become top AFC team?

The Jacksonville Jaguars cleaned house this offseason. They revamped their front office and the coaching staff but they also made major changes to the roster. While they certainly look better than they did at the end of the 2020 season, it may be a bit premature to claim they will be one of the best teams in the AFC for the next decade. However, Pete Prisco of CBS Sports believes it’s never too early.

Prisco recently said that the Jags will be among the best teams in the AFC for the next decade once they draft Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick. He then uses the Kansas City Chiefs and the fact they used the tenth overall pick in 2017’s draft on Patrick Mahomes as an example of how a team can turn into a perennial contender once it finds its franchise quarterback.

Since the Chiefs drafted Mahomes, they have appeared in three consecutive AFC Championships and have played back-to-back Super Bowl. Moreover, the 2018 First-Team All-Pro nod is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL right now and Kansas City is set at quarterback for the next decade.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are more than a quarterback away from contending.

As important as Mahomes has been for the Chiefs’ recent success, he hasn’t done it alone. Before Kansas City drafted him, they were already a playoff team. Having a top defense and wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce, two of the best players at their respective positions has definitely helped too.

Lawrence could become the best quarterback in Jaguars history, but he won’t succeed unless the organization surrounds him with talent, as there’s only so much a franchise quarterback can do without help. Think of Aaron Rodgers late in his career or Drew Brees in the early 2010s. Without enough weapons on offense or a competent defense, a quarterback can’t win many games.

The Jaguars, to their credit, seem to be aware of this and have added as much talent as possible this offseason. They know they have to put in the work if they want to become a contender, so it may be too soon to say they will join the AFC’s top echelon. However, the early signs are encouraging and Lawrence’s addition should give them a chance to get there faster.