5 Jacksonville Jaguars who are next in line to make the Pro Bowl

1. Trevor Lawrence, quarterback

You may point out that Trevor Lawrence already made the Pro Bowl but he did so as an alternate. While there's nothing inherently wrong with that, getting the nod on the original ballot carries more weight. As a matter of fact, most players won't get the Pro Bowl incentives in their contracts if they get in as alternates. Going back to Steezy Trev, he took a step back in his development last year but he's still the same talented quarterback he was when he helped the Jags make the playoffs in 2022.

If you look at Lawrence's stats without context, you'll see a regression. He had fewer touchdowns and more interceptions in 2023 than the year before. However, he hardly enjoyed good protection. As a result, he dealt with several ailments in the second half. First, the former Clemson Tiger suffered a knee injury. He then sprained his ankle. Later, he had a concussion and a shoulder sprain. Granted, he often looked for a big play instead of taking the check-down and living for another down. Also, he needs to do a better job of holding onto the football, having tallied 24 fumbles the past two years.

Lawrence has acknowledged that he needs to play better but the team also needs to do its part. Besides fortifying the offensive line, the center and left guard positions, in particular, offensive coordinator Press Taylor needs to establish the run and become less predictable when calling plays. Even though he's crafted good game plans, he's also been unimaginative at times. That has to change if the Jaguars want Lawrence to succeed in 2024.

If all the pieces fall in place next season, it's easy to see Lawrence rebound. If he does, he should be a strong candidate for Pro Bowl honors. Also, the Jaguars will be a much better team than they were last year with him at full strength.

• Here are more stories from Black & Teal: