The Jacskonville Jaguars need Trevor Lawrence to step up in 2025. That said, he hasn't been nearly as bad as some analysts portray him to be. There's no doubt that he can improve and be more consistent. On the other hand, it hasn't been discussed that he's frequently had to carry the Jags on his shoulders without much help. But don't tell that to Marcus Spears of ESPN, who thinks No. 16 needs to be better but hasn't paid close attention to him.
Spears says that this will be a crucial season for Lawrence to prove himself, bringing up his performance against the Cincinnati Bengals as one the reasons he's failed to join the top echelon of NFL quarterbacks.
"This is gonna be about Trevor Lawrence not flashing and playing with consistency. To me, that's been the biggest issue in Jacksonville. When you start talking about his play. Now, it's his responsibility. I think this is a critical evaluation year for Trevor Lawrence," Speas said on NFL on ESPN. "Maybe not within that organization, because they paid him, but I know people outside, myself included, I'm gonna be watching Trevor Lawrence closely, man, because it's just been too much up and down."
Spears continued, "Now, he's dealt with some injuries. He's dealt with some change at the position. He dealt with Urban Meyer the first year, and you can throw that away. So there's been a lot of change since he's been in Jacksonville. But I think everybody now is comfortable in saying that throughout the duration of the season, he has to play with some consistency."
Spears made some valid points, but he lost the thread when he said that Lawrence was playing well in a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 of the 2023 season. While it's true that the Jags lost, his recollection of events was sketchy.
"We were there for a Monday night game with Joe Burrow actually got injured, and Trevor Lawrence didn't play well in Jacksonville. Lost that game to the Bengals, and we were all trying to figure out, what is he? How is he going to like, this No. 1 overall draft pick with all the tools in the world, how is he going to finally get into that upper-echelon conversation? I think this year has to be that year," Spears said.
Joe Burrow did get hurt, but not in that game. He tore a ligament in his right hand two weeks prior, so Jake Browning started for the Bengals. On the other hand, Lawrence suited up for Jacksonville up until the fourth quarter when he suffered a high ankle sprain. When he left the game, the score was tied 28-28, and C.J. Beathard took over. The game went to overtime, and the Jags lost 31-28.
By the time Lawrence left the game, he had completed 75.9 percent of his throws for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. On top of that, he lost wide receiver Christian Kirk early in the game when he fell awkwardly after reeling in a 31-yard reception. This is a long-winded way to say that Spears' argument collapses under the slightest scrutiny.
And that's the thing, how can you confident that someone must play better if you don't even know they're performing? Spears had time to prepare for the segment, but didn't because he was confident his argument was foolproof. Below is the whole clip.
The Jaguars do need more from Trevor Lawrence (but not for the reasons ESPN gives)
Marcus Spears is right when he says that Trevor Lawrence needs to be more consistent. But that's hard to do when your supporting cast is less than stellar and the coaching is inefficient. That's the situation No. 16 found himself in last year.
Sure, Lawrence's mechanics and decision-making weren't great, but some of that was the result of then-head coach Doug Pederson delegating his development to protégé Press Taylor, who was underqualified for the task. It didn't help that the playcalling was subpar and that the running game was non-existent. If that wasn't enough, the Jags have struggled to give the former Clemson Tiger good protection throughout his career.
By now, you must be wondering if everything needs to be perfect for Lawrence to succeed, but that's not the case. He simply needs above-average talent at his disposal if the Jags want to make a deep playoff run. Last year, Brian Thomas Jr. was their only playmaker, and he only hit his stride once Lawrence had suffered a shoulder injury.
Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen all have top-notch supporting casts. Borrow has Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Jackson has Derrick Henry, and pretty stacked tight end room, and one of the most dominant offensive lines in the NFL. Same for Allen, who enjoys optimal protection. Not surprisingly, all three routinely have their respective teams in the thick of the playoff race.
The good news is that the Jaguars are building around Lawrence this offseason. Aside from drafting Travis Hunter and signing Dyami Brown in free agency, they beefed up the offensive line. Moreover, they bolstered their backfield with Bhayshul Tuten and LaQuint Allen. With head coach Liam Coen leading the way, the Knoxville, Tennessee native is poised to have a breakout season.
The bottom line is that you cannot truly evaluate Lawrence until he gets a decent supporting cast. He's getting it this year, and if he fails to take advantage of it, he will then deserve all the flak he gets his way. For the time being, make sure you come up with valid criticism before calling him out.