Following what was one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't think twice when they selected Trevor Lawrence first overall in 2021, and understandably so. After an illustrious career at Clemson, he was expected to provide the stability the Jags had sorely missed behind center for nearly 20 years.
However, it wasn't until 2025 that Lawrence truly hit his stride. Now, he needs to prove that his banner season wasn't a fluke. To pull it off, he should listen to what a former Tennessee Titans quarterback had to say about Cam Ward.
Trevor Lawrence should take note of Matt Hasselbeck's remarks about Cam Ward
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had a sitdown with Justin Melo of Titansized. During the exchange, the three-time Pro Bowl nod talked about Cam Ward, noting that the sophomore signal-caller needs to work on the smaller details to truly take his game to the next level.
"I think Cam [Ward] has a lot of great tools to work with," Hasselbeck told Melo. "The danger is, when you come out of the NFL Draft, the things that get you drafted high nowadays are those creative off-platform throws."
Hasselbeck continued, "But if you look at the great quarterbacks in the NFL, the guys who have long, successful careers, it's the guys who find joy in perfecting the fundamentals. Find joy in the mundane and protect the team."
Ward flashed as a rookie but also showed that he has his work cut out for him, completing 59.8 percent of his throws for 3,169 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Not bad, but can definitely be better, and he'll need patience if Tennessee wants him to shine.
Like Ward, Lawrence was the first overall pick, but they shared similarities beyond that. Both quarterbacks landed in less-than-ideal situations in their rookie season, as their respective teams failed to put them in a position to succeed.
In fact, it wasn't until the Jaguars surrounded Lawrence with enough talent that he managed to put it all together. If the Titans don't provide Ward with a balanced supporting cast, he could also take time to hit his stride.
Circling back to Lawrence, he finally lived up to his generational billing last year, completing 60.9 percent of his throws for 4,007 yards and racking up 38 total touchdowns. But as encouraging as his progress was, No. 16 still has plenty of work left.
The Jaguars are putting Trevor Lawrence in a position to build off his impressive 2025
Matt Hasselbeck's observations about Cam Ward could certainly apply to Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars quarterback has never lacked talent, but has struggled with the finer details of the position. This has prevented him from building consistency throughout his career.
Dating back to 2021, Lawrence has made throws that only the top quarterbacks in the NFL have pulled off. On the other hand, he'll miss routine passes that he should have no trouble completing. The good news is that the veteran showed substantial progress under head coach Liam Coen's tutelage last year.
Under Coen, Lawrence polished his footwork and did a better job of going through his progressions. The fact that he at last had what was arguably the best supporting cast of his career most definitely helped. Now, he'll need to build off of his 2025 success and prove that he wasn't a one-year wonder.
Working in Lawrence's favor is that his offensive line and the receiver corps from last year will be back. It will also help him that he'll have the same system, the most complex of his career, for the second year in a row. Similarly, the offensive staff underwent virtually no changes aside from the addition of run game coordinator Brian Piccoli.
Having that kind of continuity will allow Trevor Lawrence to pick up where he left off last year, and at last put to rest the questions about whether he's truly an elite quarterback.