NFL analyst just gave baffling reason to give up on Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence

• Bill Simmons has seen enough of Trevor Lawrence.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) takes command of a drill during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 18th and final training camp practice at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Wednesday August 20, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) takes command of a drill during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 18th and final training camp practice at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Wednesday August 20, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's fair to say that Trevor Lawrence left a bit desired the past two years. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars know just how talented he is, so they spent the offseason making sure he's in a position to bounce back in 2025.

Bill Simmons of The Ringer, on the other hand, isn't so sure Lawrence will rebound and is ready to give up on him.

Related: It looks like the Jaguars are unleashing the Clemson version of Trevor Lawrence

Bill Simmons believes Trevor Lawrence won't succeed with the Jaguars

Simmons said on his podcast that the Jaguars' mediocrity has had a negative effect on Lawrence, arguing that not even head coach Liam Coen will be able to help him.

"Trevor Lawrence, literally, he was one my my big guys last year. Yeah, he's also not good. He's not good at football. I'm not willing to wait on anything," Simmons responded when asked if he thinks Lawrence could improve under Coen. "I don't think he's accurate. I think he throws hospital balls left and right. If I was Brian Thomas Jr.'s family, I'd be terrified every game. I don't think he's a smart quarterback. Think he does dumb, especially inside the 20."

Simmons, "Like, I forgot until I went through my notes, how [expletive] the Jaguars were last year, where they were like 0-4, and were like, how is this team owned for I just think it goes away. I don't think he has it, and I think he's a complete stay away, not even for $0. I've watched this happen too many times. When these people get infected by being on bad teams for too many years, that's it. I't like gangrene. Your leg falls off."

One of his co-hosts rightly points out that Sam Darnold bounced back with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 after a rough start to his NFL career. However, Simmons remained unfazed.

"Well, Sam Darnold, how many teams was he on? He bounced around. I think Trevor Lawrence needs to leave Jacksonville before anything good happens for him. There's too much baggage. Liam Coen had one good year with Baker Mayfield; everyone is like, 'Ah, Ben Johnson 20.0.' Are we sure he's even going to be a good coach? And what makes you think Jacksonville is competent anyway? They just traded their entire draft away for Travis Hunter," Simmons said.

Now, Simmons is right when he says that Lawrence was underwhelming even before he suffered the shoulder injury last year. Moreover, the Jaguars didn't seemingly have a direction under Doug Pederson. But that's where his valid points end.

Sure, Coen is unproven as a head coach, but Lawrence has shown notable improvement under his tutelage right off the bat. On top of that, general manager James Gladstone has done a good job of making upgrades to his supporting cast throughout the offseason.

But leaving aside the fact that Lawrence is trending in the right direction, Simmons doesn't have a good track record of predicting quarterback success, as Twitter user @NickElenis pointed out.

In case you can't see, Simmons gave up on Josh Allen and was high on both Daniel Jones and Mac Jones before they came crashing down. If anything, he sounded like a scorned lover who was shunned by Lawrence in 2024.

The good news is that the Jaguars aren't giving up on Trevor Lawrence after just one bad season. Instead, they made sure to help him as much as possible to turn things around in 2025. Does he have his work cut out? You bet, but the signs are there that No. 16 will regain his place as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL.

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