3 strengths and 2 weaknesses of Jaguars HC Doug Pederson heading into the 2023 season

No. 3 Jaguars HC Doug Pederson's biggest strength

Doug Pederson can develop quarterbacks

Clubs are consistently looking for quarterback whisperers to develop their young passers. This one of the reasons you'll see more offensive coordinators getting head-coaching gigs over their defensive counterparts. However, some of these quarterback gurus just happen to be in the right place at the right time and aren't really responsible for their signal-callers growth. Take Ken Whisenhunt for example.

Whisenhunt managed to take the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl and the playoffs the following season in the 2000s. But the main reason the Cards got there was Kurt Warner. Once he retired, Whisenhut couldn't develop/find an heir apparent. The same is true for Josh McDaniels, who was Tom Brady's offensive coordinator for several years but hasn't found much success outside Foxborough.

Meanwhile, Pederson has gotten the most out of his quarterbacks. He had Carson Wentz, the second overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, playing at an MVP level in just his second season. And when Wentz got hurt near the end of the 2017 campaign, Nick Foles took his place in the lineup and played a huge role in beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52.

Similarly, Pederson was the head coach of the Eagles when they drafted Jalen Hurts in 2020. Although the Alabama standout really took off under Shane Steichen, he's grateful for everything Pederson did for him in his rookie season.

Now in Jacksonville, Pederson has unlocked Trevor Lawrence and has him playing like the quarterback that led Clemson to a National Championship. You can point out that Lawrence was one of the most talented prospects to come out of the collegiate ranks. But as Urban Meyer proved, not just any coach can squeeze every ounce of talent out of his quarterbacks. Pug Dederson can and once again will have Lawrence play at an absurdly high level in 2023.