3 emerging alphas on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster in 2024

Trevor Lawrence is emerging as an alpha for the Jaguars in 2024

Without a doubt, Trevor Lawrence is the Jaguars' most prominent player. While their success or lack thereof in 2024 doesn't solely depend on him, the star quarterback will play a big role in whether they bounce back.

Lawrence had an underwhelming rookie season but that was mostly because he hardly had any talent around him. To make matters worse, Urban Meyer was his head coach. Once the Jags made upgrades to his supporting cast fired Meyer and hired Doug Pederson — someone who actually knew what he was doing — the former Clemson showed noticeable improvement.

Looking back, it's a bit surprising that Lawrence has come out of the Urban Meyer debacle unscathed, but that proves what kind of difference-maker he is. In fact, he joined the conversation about the top quarterbacks in the NFL after a stellar 2022 season. Unfortunately, injuries prevented him from cementing his place among the best.

Lawrence is now healthy and looking to bounce back. The Jaguars believe he will, which is why they gave him a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. Of course, the contract comes with expectations. He no longer has excuses and must put it all together next season. And as the team's most important player, he has to lead the way.

It's true that Lawrence has been named team captain each of the last three seasons but being a leader goes beyond wearing the "C" on your jersey. He must now push his teammates and make them better. Stay cool when things aren't going great. Can he do that?

Pederson, for one, is pleased to see Lawrence having a stronger command and becoming more vocal. That's one of the things the Jaguars will need from him if they want to get over the hump in 2024.

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