Jaguars HC Doug Pederson reveals Trevor Lawrence must improve in one key area

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was expected to improve in 2023 but instead took a step back. Regardless of the reason for his regression, the fourth-year quarterback is expected to get back on track. Just recently, head coach Doug Pederson revealed what he wants from Lawrence in his third year working with him.

Pederson met with the local media on the first day of Organized Team activities and said that he wants his star quarterback to take on a bigger leadership role.

"This time of year, the leadership," Pederson told the local beat. "Veteran guy, guys, they're gonna look up to him. How well he incorporated some of the young players that we do have, that we're working with and developing, Brian [Thomas] being one of them now. Working with Mitch [Morse], working with Luke [Fortner], all these guys getting time with Gabe [Davis], getting comfortable there. But I think the leadership part of leaving this football and really embracing that, I think this time of year, and then that carries over to camp."

Trevor Lawrence has been named team captain three years in a row, so it's clear his teammates look up to him. That said, there's a day-and-night difference between his rookie season and now, and he must put everything he's learned into practice. Back in 2021, the former Clemson Tiger had to figure things out on the fly while dealing with the Urban Meyer debacle. That's not an ideal situation to develop your franchise quarterback.

Fortunately, Lawrence managed to come out of his rookie season relatively unscathed and made a massive leap in Year 2. However, he wasn't able to build off of his sophomore campaign and endure rough stretches in 2023. Some of it was due to the dearth of talent around him, but the signal-caller also showed that he's got room for improvement. Specifically, he must cut down on the lost fumbles and do a better job of processing his reads.

Here's Doug Pederson's full exchange with the media.

The Jaguars are doing their part, Trevor Lawrence has to do his

The Jaguars didn't do enough to put Trevor Lawrence in a position to succeed in 2023. While he wasn't perfect, his supporting cast left much to be desired. The offensive line couldn't pass block, which led him to rush his throws. Similarly, the offense became one-dimensional because they couldn't run the ball. To make matters worse, injuries exposed the lack of depth at receiver and the coaching staff's inability to make adjustments.

On the bright side, the team's brass recognized that Lawrence needed help, and they got to work in the offseason. They brought in Mitch Morse to stabilize the center position and got their quarterback a pair of new weapons in Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. If that wasn't enough, Jacksonville fortified the defense, so Lawrence doesn't have to outscore opponents to win games.

Having enough talent around him will allow Lawrence to get better. Moreover, this wil be his fourth training camp, and third year under Doug Pederson. That experience will come in handy to help his young teammates get acclimated as soon as possible.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are doing their part to ensure Trevor Lawrence bounces back. He must also live up to his end of the bargain. If he does, they'll be hard to beat next season.

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