How can the Jaguars get their money’s worth for star QB Trevor Lawrence?

There’s no Jacksonville Jaguar player with more pressure on his shoulders this season than quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Over the offseason, the club went all-in on the 24-year-old, extending him for the next five years to the tune of $275 million. While the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is seemingly set for life financially, he’s got a lot to prove heading into 2024.

Trevor Lawrence’s NFL body of work

They say that “you’re only as good as your last game”, which may be partly why critics are so down on Lawrence as an NFL quarterback.

With their playoff destiny in their hands, the Jags pivot tossed a pair of interceptions against the Tennessee Titans in a 28-20 loss. The 2023 season was slightly worse than what he produced in his 2022 Pro Bowl campaign, throwing for 4,016 yards last year after racking up 4,113 through the air in 2022.

However, his last two seasons with head coach Doug Pederson have seen him throw for over 4,000 yards both times. He’s also tossed over 20 touchdowns in each of those campaigns and put up a passer rating above 80. Meanwhile, he’s got a record above .500 since the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning head coach took over from Urban Meyer.

It’s fair to say he’s yet to reach generational talent levels, but it would be unfair to say his NFL career has been a bust.

How can Trevor Lawrence earn his pay?

More than a few eyebrows were raised when Lawrence became the joint-highest-paid player in the NFL in June. His annual salary of $55 million is the most in the league yearly, alongside the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow and the Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love. That contract symbolizes that the Jags see him as an elite player, but it’s up to him to back that up.

For Lawrence to earn his keep, simplifying the playbook in 2024 seems like the course of action. He doesn’t have a splash play receiver that could rival the Tyreek Hill’s, Travis Kelce’s, and Justin Jefferson’s of the world. However, his pass catchers are pretty solid.

Christian Kirk and Evan Engram have been consistent contributors, Gabe Davis is a proven vertical threat, while Brian Thomas has raw talent and was a big playmaker in college. Lawrence would be best off letting those guys do the work rather than showing off his arm with deep balls.

His focus in 2024 should be on efficiency rather than explosive plays. He’s been efficient throwing the ball, with a completion percentage over 65.0 percent in each of his previous two seasons behind centre. The 24-year-old’s downfall has been attempting too many sexy plays, tossing 14 interceptions last season, just three fewer than he had in his rookie season.

Guys like Kirk and Engram are speedy pass catchers who can turn a simple four- to five-yard dump pass into double that amount or more. Even if they don’t, it’s not the end of the world to go for more short passes and get the offense into manageable third or fourth-down situations. Doing that will take a lot of pressure off teammate Travis Etienne.

Making the safe choice may not make the highlight reels or earn him an All-Pro selection, but he and the team would gladly sacrifice that if it means another trip to the postseason.

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