Why Trevor Lawrence Is Poised for a Breakout Season
Entering his fifth year in the NFL, Trevor Lawrence has yet to have the season that Jaguars fans have hoped for from the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lawrence has had his ups and downs, and last season dealt with injuries for most of the season. The Jaguars finally seem to be headed in the right direction, with a new front office and coaching staff. Although 2024 was not the season Jaguars fans had hoped for in the slightest, the team improved greatly through the draft and free agency, improving the offensive line as well as the receiving core.
During the 2021 offseason, the Jaguars hired former Ohio State championship-winning head coach Urban Meyer. After a franchise-worst 1-15 season, the hiring sparked a bit of hope in Jaguars fans. They expected Meyer to be a breath of fresh air from the previous head coaches, Doug Marrone and Gus Bradley. The Urban Meyer hiring was a disaster. Midway through the season, Meyer was let go, and the Jaguars would once again finish with a league-worst 3-14 record. As for Lawrence, he would appear in all 17 games, posting 3,641 yards and more interceptions than touchdowns. This was not the year Jaguar fans were hoping for, although the blame could not be placed on Lawrence. Poor receiver and offensive line play, coupled with ineffective coaching, led to a disastrous first season in the NFL.
The next offseason, the Jaguars would hire former Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson, a move that appeared to be a significant boost for Lawrence. During his second season, Lawrence would lead the Jaguars to the playoffs, the first time the team had accomplished the feat since 2017. It was a good season from Lawrence, but a lot was left to be desired. Costly missed throws combined, timely drops and a heartbreaking fumble from Jamal Agnew would ultimately end the Jaguars' season in an AFC Divisional matchup against the Chiefs. Although the Jaguars would fall short of the ultimate goal, it was a great leap of progress. Lawrence had improved from the season prior, and it seemed like the 2023 season would be his breakout campaign.
The Jaguars would be very quiet during the offseason, but would help Lawrence by selecting tackle Anton Harrison in the first round. After last season, the Jaguars were poised to make a run in the playoffs, and midway through the season, it seemed like they would. With an 8-3 record and first place in the division, and Lawrence looking like an MVP-caliber player, the Jaguars were competing with the Chiefs for first place in the AFC. The Jaguars would ultimately lose five out of their next six games and miss the playoffs. It was a huge disappointment, but Trevor Lawrence had continued to improve, although it wasn’t the breakout season fans were hoping for. 2024 was a disaster, with Lawrence not playing his best football in Weeks One through Eight. Week Eight would begin the spell of injuries that kept Lawrence out for the rest of the season.
Heading into the 2025 season, huge scale changes in the front office, including hiring Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen to replace Pederson. The move will help Lawrence, as Coen was able to lead the Bucs to the playoffs and turn Baker Mayfield into a top-10 quarterback. With Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie Travis Hunter on the receiving end, as well as a new “quarterback guru” head coach, I believe Trevor Lawrence has the skills and resources to become a top quarterback in the NFL, and now he has to prove that he can be.
