Trevor Lawrence will show everyone why he was top pick in 2021 draft

One of the biggest reasons for optimism in the 2022 NFL regular season if you are a Jacksonville Jaguars fan is the development of Trevor Lawrence. The former Clemson Tiger had growing pains as a rookie but several observers believe he’s set to make a huger leap and possibly have a breakout year in Year 2.

One AFC South told insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that 2022 will be Lawrence’s “true rookie year”, and you will be hard-pressed to find someone who will disagree with that assessment. Looking back, the Jaguars didn’t do enough to put the young passer in a position to succeed. It all started in training camp, where he had to share reps with Gardner Minshew. Then, there’s the fact that Urban Meyer and the coaching staff didn’t agree on what kind of offense they would be running.

To make matters worse, several key Jaguars on offense suffered serious injuries. Running back Travis Etienne missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury. Wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. fractured his ankle in Week 4 and Jamal Agnew suffered a season-ending hip injury in Week 11. Last but not least, Meyer misused running back James Robinson throughout most of the year. But in spite of all the challenges Lawrence faced in 2021, the scout believes things are looking up for him.

"But having [coach] Doug [Pederson] and new weapons will help him a top. He needs support, both in personnel and schematically, and then the natural ability can take over. He should have that now."

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is trending ahead of the 2022 season

The AFC scout is far from the only observer that believes Trevor Lawrence is poised for a big leap/breakout campaign this upcoming season. Pro Football Hall of Fame voter Adam Schein praised him, and went as far as to say that everyone should “hop on his bandwagon“.  Also, here’s Warren Sharp of Sharp Football analytics telling everyone to be ready for the Jaguars quarterback.

Lawrence should be significantly better with one year of experience under his belt but that won’t be the sole reason he will improve in 2022. In fact, it’s just one of several. For starters, Meyer was given the boot last year and the organization hired Doug Pederson to take his place. Pederson has a superb track record of maximizing a quarterback’s talent and his players-friendly approach will help him implement his vision. Furthermore, the Jags spent the offseason making upgrades on both sides of the ball.

On offense, the team’s brass got Lawrence a pair of new weapons in Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. Similarly, they gave left tackle Cam Robinson a three-year, $54 million contract to watch his quarterback’s blindside. On defense, Jacksonville selected Travon Walker with the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and revamped pretty much every position group. This turn will take some pressure off Lawrence’s shoulders, as the offense should have a favorable field position and more opportunities to score via turnovers.

Based on all the moves the Jaguars made this offseason and Trevor Lawrence’s natural talent, it’s hard not to get excited about the things he can accomplish on the football field this upcoming season.