NFL analyst discusses key area the Jaguars must help Trevor Lawrence fix

The Jacksonville Jaguars have built around Trevor Lawrence this season. They hired a coach who should be able to get the most out of him in Liam Coen and a general manager who's making upgrades to his supporting cast in James Gladestone. Of course, No. 16 must do his part, and NFL analyst Louis Riddick recently talked about one specific area of his game that he must work on.

Riddick said during a segment of NFL on ESPN that Lawrence can do virtually anything other quarterbacks can do from a physical standpoint but must improve the mental aspect of his game.

"I think really, what's going to determine Trevor Lawrence's improvement is more so when you're talking about self-awareness," Riddick said. "I think it's those times where things get sideways for Trevor, how he's able to stay on track, how he's able to get himself back on track. Rather, how he's able to find that timing and that rhythm and get himself in that head space to where things don't continue to snowball on him."

Riddick continued, "And then all of a sudden, he starts to forget all the fundamental things from a physical perspective and a mental perspective that got him to where he is. We've talked about that with him in person when we were over in London a year ago, and it was something that he was quite aware of, the fact that he needed to improve that part of his game. When things start kind of getting off the rails. How can he kind of like center himself again and stay on the right track?"

"And I think that's where Liam Coen, or any other coach, I think that's that's where they really need to really drill down on quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence, so they can do those kinds of things and not have those long stretches then where their game just doesn't look like it really like how they want it to be and that they aren't really playing up to their potential. If he can do that. Trevor can do everything physically that any other quarterback in the NFL can do. It's the mental part of the game, the consistency part of the game that I'm looking to see him improve upon."

Lawrence, the first overall pick in the 2021 draft, struggled as a rookie but showed notable improvement in 2022. That year, the Jags made the playoffs and won the AFC South. He was expected to build off of his sophomore campaign but wasn't nearly as efficient in 2023. Some of that had to do with the fact that his supporting cast left much to be desired. Ultimately, the former Clemson Tiger dealt with a myriad of ailments that held him back in the second half of the season.

Having failed to make the playoffs after an 8-3 start in 2023, the pressure mounted for Lawrence to improve, but his mechanics and decision-making suffered a dip. Once again, he dealt with injuries last year. This time, it was a shoulder sprain that would sideline him for a handful bouts. His season then came to a halt when he suffered a concussion in Week 13.

While Lawrence is still recovering from shoulder surgery, he's already working on his footwork and fundamentals, an area of his game that he acknowledges could use some work. Below's the full clip of Riddick talking about the Jaguars' quarterback.

Related story: Liam Coen's approach to the offseason prove the Jaguars hired the right guy

The Jaguars are also aware they need to help Trevor Lawrence

Liam Coen, for his part, gave a glowing assessment of Lawrence during the team's voluntary workouts, pointing out that he's extremely talented. He then added that the team will need to take a bit of weight off his shoulders.

"He's extremely talented, and he's made some unbelievable plays and critical moments and led some huge comebacks. He's played hurt. He's done so many good things," Coen responded when asked what Lawrence needs to change. "Now it's just about, 'Okay, how do we fine-tune it and just tighten it up a little bit to get him in a place where he's comfortable to cut the ball loose on time and in rhythm, regardless of the circumstances?' And that's really what it comes down to."

Coen continued, "Being able to give him some balance around him, so that he can feel like, 'Man, not every play is on me, right? Not every play, not every throw I have to make is gonna have to be life or death.' We've gotta create some balance for him so that he can just go play quieted, free of failure, and go let it rip."

Below are Coen's remarks about Lawrence. They start at the 13:58 mark.

And that's the thing: Lawrence can improve the mental aspect of his game if he knows he doesn't have to win the game himself, which was often the case last year. Sure, he must carry some of the blame. That comes with playing quarterback, the most important position on the football field. But as Coen noted, they must help him, and they can do so by establishing the run on offense and making stops at crucial times on defense.

If the Jaguars do that, Lawrence should have no trouble taking his game to the next level. That will, in turn, help them win football games.

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