Late in the 2022 NFL season, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a stretch of outstanding football, and it carried the Jaguars into the playoffs and all the way to the divisional round.
He made the Pro Bowl that season, and his success led many to tab him as the league’s next star QB and the Jaguars as future Super Bowl contenders.
But both Lawrence and the Jaguars took a step backward last season, and the team got weaker this offseason by losing wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who led them in receiving yards and touchdowns in 2023.
Lawrence got a massive five-year, $275 million contract extension recently, and teammate Joshua Hines-Allen is impressed with his work ethic, leading him to say that the quarterback will “take that next step of greatness and eliteness” while on “The Jim Rome Show.”
“I think he is gonna take that next step of greatness and eliteness.”
@JoshAllenHines is expecting even more from Trevor Lawrence this year. pic.twitter.com/IkIq1lmlhV
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) July 10, 2024
After throwing for 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2022, Lawrence’s production fell to 4,016 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2023, and he almost doubled his interceptions to 14 despite playing one fewer game.
In an attempt to fill the void created by Ridley’s departure, Jacksonville signed wide receiver Gabe Davis, who spent the past four years with the Buffalo Bills and posted 746 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
But other than that, Jacksonville’s roster largely looks similar to the one that failed to make the playoffs last season.
Hines-Allen is arguably their biggest linchpin other than Lawrence, and last season he tied for second in the NFL with 17.5 sacks while also contributing 33 quarterback hits and 17 tackles for loss.
It will not be easy for Lawrence to truly take that next step this season, as the rest of the AFC has gotten even better, but any improvement should give the Jaguars at least a puncher’s chance at returning to the postseason.
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Jaguars Defender Sends A Clear Message About Expectations This Season
