Jaguars HC Doug Pederson on Trevor Lawrence: "We have the right quarterback"

While Trevor Lawrence is coming off a somewhat underwhelming season, there's no doubt in Doug Pederson's mind that the Jacksonville Jaguars have the right quarterback in place. Pederson said at the Scouting Combine that Lawrence is his guy and it will be up to the coaching staff to help him take his game to the next level in 2024.

"We do have the right quarterback. I'm excited for the future, whichever. He's excited. The conversations we've had since the season, I don't get into the contract stuff. I'll leave that for Trent, the agents and stuff but I know that our guys the right guy, he's got the right demeanor, you got the right leadership."

"It's our job as coaches now to make sure he takes that next step. This will be another big offseason for him and and his development and growth. By no means is he where he wants to be or where we want him to be. But really looking forward to work in another year with Trevor," Pederson said.

Pederson then added that he would like to see Lawrence take ownership of the offense, "continuing to understand the offense, better with the scheme, put more of an impact to his voice on our offense, because he's the one out there executing and calling to play.

Lawrence played at a top-10 level in 2022, especially in the second half. However, he wasn't nearly as efficient last year, often trying to compenstate for the team's short comings. At times he would look for a big play instead of taking the checkdown, which frequently led to less-than-stellar results. Moreover, he had 12 fumbles, losing seven of them.

Having said that, the star quarterback often put the team on his shoulder and more often than not, he would put them in a position to win games. Heck, the only reason Lawrence tried to do to much was because he didn't get much help from his supporting cast or the coaching staff. Entering the fourth year of his rookie deal, he's set to prove he can lead Jacksonville to wins.

For that to happen, the Jaguars' brass must makes the necessary upgrades to the offensive line and Press Taylor steps up as a playcaller. If they do, the former Clemson Tiger should be able to bounce back in 2024. Here's Doug Pederson's full exchange with the local media.

The Jaguars must help Trevor Lawrence if they want him to make a leap

Nobody will deny Lawrence took a step back last year but it's important to point out that he didn't always get much help from the rest of the team. Without optional protection up front, he often had no time to throw and was routinely pressured at a concerning rate. Furthermore, he wouldn't probably have gotten hurt if the offensive line hadn't struggled. Similarly, the team's refusal to establish the run made the offense one dimensional and putt additional pressure on him to win.

Working in Lawrence's favor is that the team's brass is aware the team must make upgrades to the offensive trenches. When asked about whether they had to make schematical or personnel changes up front, Pederson said yes to both. On the other hand, Jacksonville also revamped their defensive staff, and if Ryan Nielsen can put together a top-10 unit, the Jags won't solely depend on the offense to win games.

Overall, it's great to see Doug Pederson vouch for Trevor Lawrence publicly and know that his confidence in him hasn't wavered. Next, the Jacksonville Jaguars will need to give him a bit more help.

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