There are several intriguing storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. One that hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as it deserves is Trevor Lawrence's attempt to bounce back from an underwhelming season. The Jags hired Liam Coen to get the most out of him, like he did for Baker Mayfield last season. Based on a recent exchange, he'll put an added emphasis on one key area that No. 16 needs to fix.
Coen made an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio and said that the coaching staff is diving into Lawrence's footwork, pointing out that playing quarterback is "built on the lower half and the mind." Here's what the new Jaguars head coach had to say, via Kevin Patra of the NFL Network.
"Everything with the quarterback position, so much is built on the lower half and the mind. And those are the things that we can truly control. Because the stroke is the stroke for us, that's how we look at it. The stroke is the stroke, and we're not touching that. So really, we're diving into his footwork, some of those mechanics."
Having dealt with a myriad of ailments in 2023, Lawrence was expected to rebound last year. However, his decision-making was questionable at times, and his mechanics weren't great. In his defense, it doesn't look like he was getting adequate coaching, and the playcalling was less than ideal.
But regardless of the reasons, the former Clemson Tiger wasn't able to elevate the team around him. Compounding the issue is that he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 9 that ended up cutting his campaign short.
To the Jaguars' credit, they cleaned house in the offseason and hired Liam Coen and James Gladstone as the head coach and general manager, respectively. To duo ha made it clear that they're building around Lawrence. And so far, they've put their money where their mouth is.
While Coen's focused on helping Lawrence fix his mechanics, Gladstone worked on making upgrades to his supporting cast in free agency. Aside from getting him a new weapon in speedster Dyami Brown, he also beefed up the offensive lin, signing Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey to start at guard and center, respectively. Moreover, the general manager brought in Fred Johnson and Chuma Edoga to add depth in the offensive trenches.
Fixing Trevor Lawrence's footwork is just the start for the Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence is still recovering from the labrum surgery he underwent last year. Just recently, Liam Coen said that he's progressing well. If he doesn't suffer any setbacks, he should be ready to throw in training camp. For the time being, he can focus on other areas of his game that he needs to hone. And that's the thing: the Knoxville, Tennessee native is entering a bit of pressure entering his fifth NFL season.
Back in 2022, Lawrence proved that he could play at an elite level. However, the Jags haven't made the plays in back-to-back seasons, and he's been under scrutiny because of it. Sure, he hasn't had great protection, but as the face of the franchise, he gets the spotlight. Add the fact that he signed a deal last year that makes him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, and he's under pressure to deliver.
Is it fair? That's up for debate, but Liam Coen is making sure that Trevor Lawrence is in a position to succeed. Based on the success he had with Baker Mayfield last year, don't be surprised if he helps him post career numbers in 2025.
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