Quarterback Trevor Lawrence's health has been front and center after suffering a season-ending injury last year. Fortunately for the Jacksonville Jaguars, he's making massive strides in his recovery. The former Clemson Tiger was wearing a sleeve to warm up his arm during mandatory minicamp, but a recent video shows he's since ditched it. That's an encouraging development in what an NFL analyst says will be a pivotal year.
Frank Schawb of Yahoo! Sports notes that Lawrence has shown flashes in the past but argues that the fifth-year quarterback is running out of time to prove he's the long-term answer behind center.
"The Jaguars are 20 games under -500 in Lawrence starts, and while a team's record isn't a quarterback stat, Lawrence hasn't lifted the Jaguars," Schwab wrote during a 2025 preview of Jacksonville. "The Jaguars are still chasing what they thought Lawrence would be coming out of Clemson."
Schwab continued, "The reasons for optimism are Lawrence's draft pedigree, a very good stretch in the second half of the 2022 season, the thought that the Jaguars' utter dysfunction has held Lawrence back and Lawrence being just 25 years old. This season, Lawrence will have Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter to throw to, and a new offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen. If he doesn't have a big season, it's never going to happen."
All things considered, Schwab makes some valid points. The Jaguars centered their offseason around the Knoxville, Tennessee native, and he has arguably the best supporting cast of his career. Throughout his career, he managed to play (at times) at a high level despite the fact that he's had subpar protection up front, but that's no longer the case. That's why he must deliver.
On the other hand, the criticism that Lawrence hasn't lifted his team doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
How many quarterbacks would be able to thrive with inadequate playcalling like the Whirly Bird? On the other hand, Lawrence routinely elevated players. Career backup and first-round disappointment Laquon Treadwell posted career numbers while catching passes from him. Ditto Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram.
Of course, Lawrence must play better. His mechanics and decision-making weren't always great in 2024. He's aware of that and is working on fixing both areas.
Josh Hines-Allen is confident Trevor Lawrence will step up for the Jaguars
There's no doubt that pressure is mounting on Trevor Lawrence to prove he's the franchise quarterback the Jacksonville Jaguars envisioned when they drafted him first overall in 2021. However, he's in a position to live up to expectations. Teammate Josh Hines-Allen believes he will pull it off.
Hines-Allen made an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show and said that Lawrence can take control of the team, noting that the quarterback has many things going for him.
"So I think the pieces around Trevor have gotten a lot better, and I think the expectations for everybody else to do their job a little bit better is going to put more pressure on Trevor to excel," Hines-Allen told host Rich Eisen (17:32 mark). "And I think coach Cohen has given him that push. And you know, so for us, for Trevor, we just want to see Trevor. Just go out there and just have fun. Do what you do, lean and take control at the helmet, which I know you can be."
Lawrence most definitely has the pieces around him. He will have no shortage of weapons with Dyami Brown and Travis Hunter joining Brian Thomas Jr. Similarly, the team's brass beefed up the offensive trenches, so he'll have ample time to throw. If that wasn't enough, the team's renewed emphasis on establishing the run will take some pressure off his shoulders.
The bottom line is that Trevor Lawrence is in a position to succeed. He now needs to deliver, and if he does, not only will the Jaguars become a threat to the Houston Texans, but there will no longer be questions about his viability as a starting quarterback.