JaguarsTalk: Trevor Lawrence, Most Improved 2nd Year QB?
JT: NFL Network interviews Trevor Lawrence. It’s not the path you walk, but with whom you walk the path
Trevor said a lot of the same things that he has said in past interviews. Not much new was asked so there really wasn’t a chance for Trevor to regale us with the inside stories for which our intrepid readers are thirsting. New news did, however, leak from the minds of the show hosts when asked about last year's rookie class of QBs and how they would fare this year, in their sophomore season.
The host started by outlining the sophomore QB class stemming from the 2021 draft: Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Mac Jones, Zac Wilson and Trey Lance. She then posed the question we all want the answer to: which one of these first rounders will show the most improvement in 2022. This is such a loaded question as it relies on so many things that are out of the QBs control. Fortunately, this was addressed by the esteemed co-hosts that the NFL Network had assembled for such a dead zone of sports filler segment. Our host kicked off the segment by asking two NFL defensive players who they thought would make the biggest jump in their second year as a professional NFL quarterback.
Two things really struck me with this segment. The first is that nobody chose Mac Jones as most likely to improve. Jones, with the New England Patriots, was the only quarterback on the list with a winning record last season. Coach Bill Belichick is known for finding diamonds in the rough, as Tom Brady was a sixth round selection with the 166th pick of the 2000 NFL draft. He is still playing over twenty years later and is widely argued to be the greatest to ever play the game. He has seven Super Bowl wins and ten appearances, five Super Bowl MVP awards and three NFL MVP awards. With this kind of QB selection success on Belichick’s resume and considering how well he performed in his rookie season, I am understandably shocked at how one could overlook Mac Jones.
The second thing that struck me funny was that nobody even mentioned Kyle Trask. Trask wasn’t even included in the segment. I guess I understand his exclusion considering he didn’t play at all last season and he won’t play at all this season, barring serious injuries. OK so maybe I completely understand why Kyle Trask wasn’t included in this segment. However, and this is a big however folks, Kyle Trask could very easily end up being the best quarterback chosen in the 2021 draft when all is said and done. Trask was selected by Tampa Bay in the second round with the 64th pick. He’s 6’5” and 236 lbs. His career at Florida was pretty damn stellar. Second team all SEC, FBS passing touchdown leader and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award winner, all in his senior season. I didn’t know what the Earl Campbell Rose Award was either so don’t feel bad. I looked it up though and here are the criteria for winning. It is the award given to the top offensive player of the year in D-1 NCAA football who also, and this is the important part, displays integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community, and tenacity. These were the characteristics that define the great Earl Campbell. Earl Campbell was a running back for the Oilers and Saints way back in the day. Most of the above research was brought to you by the good folks at Wikipedia. I know they aren’t always the most reliable site but I’m gonna trust ‘em today. To bottom line the above, Trask has the characteristics to be a great leader. To be a great locker room presence, a great inspirerer (I’m making that a word), to push people to give their best, to lead by example, and of course, according to Earl Campbell, Trask also has “community” whatever the hell that means. Couple all of this with the fact that he is a very good and capable QB…Oh and I almost forgot, he is training under the tutelage of one Tom Brady. The GOAT. Please reread the paragraph above to fully understand why this is such a monumental thing. Kyle Trask may very well end up being the best of the bunch by taking the Aaron Rodgers route to stardom (Aaron studied under the great Brett Favarah for years before ever touching the field). Just something to keep an eye on, folks. And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
The first co-host to select his choice for biggest QB sophomore year improvement was Thomas Davis Sr.. Davis played outside linebacker for the University of Georgia and then went on to a 17 year career in the NFL, all with the Panthers ‘cept for a brief stint with the biggest joke of a club these days, the Washington Football Team. I am not sure why the NFL Network thought it appropriate to have defensive players judge quarterback improvement but I’ll take it, as Davis chose the Jacksonville Jaguars QB, Trevor Lawrence. I am sure there are several reasons as to why Davis believes Lawrence deserves the superlative of most likely to improve but he stated only a few. My man said Lawrence is the QB to beat because of his arm talent (what does that even mean?), his ability to move around in the pocket, and (what I deem as most important) the added structure around Lawrence setting him up for success in 2022. Let me take a second to break down Thomas Davis’ assessment of Trevor Lawrence. First, hosts need to call these guys out for their ridiculous answers…Arm talent? Define that. Define arm talent. Arm strength I understand. Ability to throw with a regular throwing motion as well as side-armed. Underhanded if need be. Maybe a pitch here and there. All of these I understand. I would have let this go had he said Trevor Lawrence has a Patrick Mahomes type arm, because we all know what that means. “Arm talent”, however, tells me literally nothing. But I’ll take it. It was meant as a compliment and so who are we to look a gift horse in the mouth (someone explain that one to me as well, please). I do believe that Lawrence's ability to move around in the pocket was more due to necessity last season than anything with purposeful intent, but escapability (used frequently but I don’t think it’s a real word) will always come in handy. I would, however, successfully argue that Justin Fields has more of that trait than Trevor Lawrence. Where Davis shines in his judgment of Trevor is when he attributes Lawrence's future success to the team that the Jaguars owner, coach, and general manager were able to assemble around T-Law. This Jaguars off season proved extremely fruitful. They went on to talk about Christian Kirk and other offensive additions but we at JaguarsTalk truly believe that the defensive additions (along with the improved O-line) are going to help Lawrence more than anything else this year.
The second co-host to school us with his thoughts on best 2022 sophomore QB performance was Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. Cameron Heyward said that out of all the QBs from which to choose in 2021 the biggest leap in 2022 will be made by Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears. When pressed further, Heyward bottomed lined his remarks by saying that Fields has talent but they need to build around him. Well Cameron thanks for playing. You can’t make a jump to greatness or even significant sophomore year improvement without a team around you that can help. The Bears ain’t got it, but the Jaguars do. Enjoy your parting gift Cameron Heyward, we will be going with our boy Thomas Davis. That’s exactly what the host of the show did when she contributed her two cents in favor of Trevor Lawrence. Maybe she believes it to be true or maybe she thought it would make a better lead into the Trevor Lawrence interview that was coming up next. No one will ever know, but it doesn’t matter because we are in the dead zone of sports and we will put anything on the air right now.
During T-Law’s interview Trevor was asked the same questions that Trevor is always asked in every post 2021 interview. When will people start doing some homework and stop being so lazy? Here were his answers (paraphrased except where quoted).
How's the new era in Jacksonville?
Doesn’t feel new anymore. Made a lot of progress this offseason. OTAs etc… Pederson is building trust and respect. Pederson's QB background, roster additions, talent, work ethic and approach to the game all help. The Jags now have locker room cohesion.
What’s the upcoming training camp going to be like?
Pederson said new things will be happening this training camp. Even I don’t know what that will entail. Coach Pederson “knows how to handle the team. Knows when to push the gas and when to hold off a little bit”
JaguarsTalk thinks these little coaching (and truly life in general) gems are some of the most important aspects that Pederson and his staff bring to the Jaguars.
When questioned about the receiving core?
Zay and Kirk are high IQ guys. They understand routes and adjustments. I have been able to create chemistry very quickly with them.
JaguarsTalk believes that Evan Engram and Kevin Austin will become big time situational playmakers for Lawrence as well.
When asked directly about Travis Etienne?
Etienne is really excited to be healthy. We [Trevor and Travis] have had conversations about playing together again. He is itching to get back. Etienne will add an explosive element to the Jaguars offense. He [Etienne] and James Robinson are going to be great in the backfield together.
JaguarsTalk agrees with T-Law that Etienne will bring an explosive element to the offense. We however, believe that it will be best showcased by using him more as a receiving back coupled with Doug Pederson’s pension for offensive trickery.
Lastly, Lawrence talked about a collaboration he has with Gatorade to develop a Trevor Lawrence custom GX bottle as part of the GX fuel tomorrow collection. It is adjourned with a collection of meaningful things from Trevor’s life.
Well folks, that about sums it up. Trevor Lawrence is projected to be most improved among sophomore year QBS. Let’s see if he lives up to the hype. He certainly has all of the necessary tools around him to achieve this goal. Thank you to Khan, Pederson and Baalke for setting this team up for an exciting 2022. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.