When the Jacksonville Jaguars made Trevor Lawrence the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, they saw him as the missing piece of the puzzle that would change the course of the franchise. While he's certainly had his moments, he's failed to live up to expectations. Some of it falls on the former Clemson Tiger, but the Jags have rarely done their part to ensure he's in a position to succeed. At least that was the case until now.
Early in the offseason, general manager James Gladstone said that the team would build around Lawrence. True to his word, the Jags beefed up the offensive line and added a pair of new weapons to his arsenal in Dyami Brown and Travis Hunter.
If that wasn't enough, Jacksonville will put a strong emphasis on pounding the football, which will, in turn, take some pressure off Lawrence's shoulders. With all the upgrades the Jags made to the roster, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports wonders if No. 16 can maximize his setup.
Benjamin drew up a list of questions for each NFL team after the draft and wonders if Lawrence will be able to at last put it all together next season.
"The former No. 1 overall pick has struggled to both stay healthy and control the ball amid years of iffy play-calling and supporting casts. Now he's got a new coach in Liam Coen and a splashy new weapon in Travis Hunter to go with Brian Thomas Jr. Is that enough to finally stabilize his tantalizing arm?"
The Jaguars have hardly ever given Lawrence enough pieces to succeed, with 2022 being the exception. That year, the front office went into a spending spree and signed players such as Evan Engram, Zay Jones, and Christian Kirk.
The Jags went on to win the AFC South and qualify for the postseason. However, they failed to make the playoffs the following two years. Some of that was due to the fact that former general manager Trent Baalke never truly addressed some of the team's glaring needs.
For instance, Lawrence has never truly had good protection throughout his career. There have been a few intriguing pieces up front, but the offensive line as a whole hasn't given him enough time to throw the past four years. That changed in the offseason when the Jags signed Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey to start at one spot and center, respectively. They then used draft picks on Wyatt Milum and Jonahn Monheim. Both of them could compete for featured roles down the road.
But aside from an improved offensive line, Lawrence will arguably have the best group of skill-position players in his career. Brown and Hunter will join a receiver corps that includes superstar receiver Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Gabe Davis. On top of that, the team's brass added Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen to their backfield. Both of them can contribute in the passing game and help Jacksonville establish the run.
Simply put, the Jaguars have lived up to their end of their bargain; it's time for Trevor Lawrence to deliver his.
Trevor Lawrence will deliver for the Jaguars (once he's healthy)
First things first. Lawrence is still recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained last year. He's making progress but won't truly be 100 percent until training camp. Once he's healthy, though, he should have no trouble putting it all together.
In previous seasons, he's been asked to put the team on his shoulders and win games himself. That will no longer be the case. That said, he should be under scrutiny precisely because the Jaguars are giving him everything he needs to deliver from a roster and coaching standpoint.
The good news is that Lawrence has proved that he can perform at a high level at different points in his career. Back in 2022, he played like a top-10 quarterback. He should be able to do it again. The difference is that he now needs to do it on a consistent basis, something he's failed to do in the past. The talent is certainly there, and the Jaguars have at last given him what he needs. The onus is now on him, but if he can avoid the injury bug, he should be able to pull it off.