While the Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing for free agency and the draft, Trevor Lawrence got the spotlight because he was the subject of trade chatter. Supposedly, the Pittsburgh Steelers were engaged in serious talks to acquire the fifth-year quarterback. However, the rumors were received with pushback, with the Jags going as far as saying that they had never entertained any talks.
All things considered, the thought that the Jaguars would seriously consider trading Lawrence is ridiculous when you take into account the investment they've made in him. That said, they will need to take care of their franchise quarterback if they no longer want to deal with speculation.
The truth is that Lawrence has been seen as a potential trade candidate because Jacksonville hasn't done enough to put him in a position to succeed. Granted, he left a bit to be desired in 2024, but he wasn't the main reason they went 4-13. At the top of the list would be a lack of overall leadership, Trent Baalke's inability to put together a Super Bowl team, Doug Pederson's inadequate coaching, and a subpar defense led by an arrogant Ryan Nielsen.
Of course, quarterbacks have the biggest impact on the outcome of a game. Add the fact that Lawrence signed a massive contract extension last offseason and he'll be under scrutiny. Is it fair? You could say that it isn't, but it comes with playing the position and being the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jaguars must take care of Trevor Lawrence moving forward
So now that it's been stated that Trevor Lawrence must do his part, the Jacksonville Jaguars must give him more help. Otherwise, the trade speculation will turn into a legitimate interest from other clubs.
After all, and as underwhelming as Lawrence was in 2024, nearly half of the teams in the NFL would love to have a quarterback of his caliber and would trade two first-round picks for him in a heartbeat. To avoid that scenario, the Jaguars must put him in a position to succeed, something they've failed to do dating back to his rookie year, when they made the questionable decision to hire Urban Meyer as the head coach.
Since then, the Knoxville, Tennessee native has had to put the team on his shoulders and expected to win football games with a subpar supporting cast. As talented as he is, he cannot do it alone.
Back in 2023, the offensive line was underwhelming. It was a bit better last year but not nearly enough to either protect Lawrence or establish the run. As the Philadephia Eagles showed in Super Bowl 59, you win games in the trenches, and if Jacksonville cannot run the football, the offense becomes one-dimensional and puts additional pressure on the former Clemson Tiger to win games.
On the other hand, if the defense cannot stop teams from scoring, Lawrence and the offense find themselves needing to outscore opponents to win games. Simply put, you will only make a deep postseason run if you have a well-rounded roster. The Jaguars haven't had one the past two years. Not surprisingly, they've missed the postseason both years.
But apart from a good roster, coaching matters. The likes of Andy Reid, and Sean McVay have proven it. You need someone who can get the most out of players. Doug Pederson failed to do it last year, and the Jaguars expect Liam Coen to do it.
Now, making the playoffs in 2025 or next year won't cut it. Coen must ensure Jacksonville enjoys sustained success and help Lawrence play at a high level on a consistent basis. If he pulls it off, you will no longer hear trade speculation. Think about it, how often do you hear about teams with an established quarterback being part of legitimate trade chatter?
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars must take care of Trevor Lawrence. Otherwise, trade speculation will only get louder moving forward.
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