Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence has young, yet promising supporting cast

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a few young and talented players last season but not enough to win on a consistent basis. The Jags ended up losing 15 straight games and earning the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which they used to select quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently ranked every NFL quarterback’s supporting cast ahead of the 2021 season and the Jaguars popped up at number 25 after ranking 31 last year. He says that quarterbacks that are picked first overall usually go to teams devoid of talent. Nevertheless, he believes Lawrence landed in a favorable situation. Knox points out that even though the Jaguars aren’t an offensive powerhouse, there are some nice pieces in place, including their wide receiver corps and their running back room.

On the other hand, Knox sees tight end as the Jags’ biggest weakness right now and says that they don’t have anything ‘close to a proven playmaker’. He’s skeptical of the Tim Tebow signing and doubts the 2010 first-round selection will turn into a Pro Bowler.

Trevor Lawrence fell on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ lap.

You don’t lose 15 games by mistake. Many things have to happen for a team to reach that kind of futility and the Jaguars certainly had their fair share of problems last season. However, the most evident was the inconsistency at quarterback. Had they had a competent signal-caller, they might’ve been able to win a few more matchups.

You could argue that Gardner Minshew II didn’t receive a legitimate shot but he wasn’t particularly efficient last season. Although his individual numbers don’t look particularly bad, he struggled to move the ball downfield and the team couldn’t put enough points on the scoreboard with him at the helm.

Good quarterbacks thrive even if they don’t have a good supporting cast. Instead, the Washington State product looked overwhelmed and lost his starting job. The Jaguars also played rookie Jake Luton and veteran Mike Glennon of them but neither one fared much better than Minshew. On the bright side, Jacksonville secured the top pick in the draft the same year Trevor Lawrence was available.

Trevor Lawrence will have several offensive weapons at his disposal.

The draft is a crapshoot but the Clemson standout is the closest to a safe pick since Andrew Luck. Analyst Chris Simms of NBC Sports has been ranking all NFL quarterbacks. Although he listed Zach Wilson ahead of Lawrence, he believes that the latter is the safest choice of the two. The former Tiger will be an upgrade over anyone who took snap behind center for the Jaguars in 2020.

Moreover, the cupboard won’t be bare. The team’s brass is ensuring Lawrence will have enough weapons at his disposal. They signed veteran Marvin Jones Jr. in free agency to round out an already talented wide receiver corps. They also drafted Travis Etienne, who should form, alongside James Robinson, one of the most dynamic running back tandems in the NFL. It’s true the tight end room could use an upgrade but offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will find a way to work around it.

The Jaguars have been looking for a franchise quarterback for a while, and now that they have one, they are making sure he’s in a position to succeed.