Jaguars not expecting anything unrealistic from Trevor Lawrence in Year 2

Training camp is around the corner and one of the players getting the most attention across the NFL is quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is expected to make a leap in Year 2. But what should the Jacksonville Jaguars expect from the 2021 No. 1 draft pick in the regular season?

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently discussed three questions each AFC South team must address before the start of the 2022 season and he wonders what kind of expectations the Jags will have for Lawrence.

"After an expensive offseason and a coaching overhaul, what is the internal standard for the former No. 1 overall pick? What do the Jags need to see from Lawrence in order to avoid serious concern about his prospects of reaching his once-hyped potential? The answer to that may well — and should — adjust on the fly, but the reality is everyone in and around the organization wants more from the ex-Clemson star in 2022."

Lawrence’s rookie campaign didn’t probably go the way he or the Jaguars expected. While some of that was due to his inexperience and an adjustment period in the NFL, his supporting cast wasn’t particularly great and there was no concrete plan to develop him. The Knoxville, Tennessee native showed flashes of the talent that made him the top pick in last year’s draft but he only managed to complete 59.6 percent of his passes for 3,641 yards with 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

What are the Jaguars expecting from Trevor Lawrence in 2022?

Benjamin’s question is a fair one. Nearly every analyst and talking head around the league foresee Lawrence improving in 2022 but what kind of tangible expectations do the Jaguars have for the young passer? Sure, they want him to process his reads faster, and make better decisions with the football but they also want his production to go up.

Doubling Lawrence’s touchdown totals would be the floor and scoring 30 times would be great but 24 to 26 touchdowns seem like an attainable figure. Similarly, he needs to cut down on the interceptions, and 10 to 12 would be optimal.

Working in Lawrence’s favor is that the organization took care of two things that held him back in 2021. For starters, they kicked Urban Meyer to the curb and hired Doug Pederson as their head coach. Pederson is known around the league for his work with quarterbacks, so if anyone can get the most out of Lawrence, it’s him.

Second, the Jags spent the offseason upgrading Lawrence’s supporting cast. Not only did they bolster the offensive line and their wide receiver corps but they also revamped most position groups on defense.

The Jaguars have given Lawrence everything he needs to succeed this upcoming season. He won’t probably become a top 10 quarterback but he will get close and that will be reflected in both his statline and the win/loss column.