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Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence on New HC Doug Pederson: 'We’re on the Same Page'
April 12, 2022
Trevor Lawrence is enjoying life with Doug Pederson.
The Jacksonville Jaguars' second-year quarterback told reporters Tuesday that he and his new head coach "align pretty well" and are on "the same page."
"I really like his demeanor. He's really, really calm," Lawrence added. "Never gets too high or too low, I really like that. That's the type of guy I like to be around. Offensively he brings a lot of different things to the table."
Calm was not the vibe around the Jaguars last season, with former head coach Urban Meyer proving to be the source of ceaseless drama before his December firing.
In the process, the Jaguars went just 3-14 overall, the team's fourth straight losing season and 12th in the past 14 years.
Lawrence, 22, was drafted with the top overall pick in 2021 with the hope that he would reverse Jacksonville's losing history. But the rookie quarterback struggled, throwing for 3,641 yards, 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while completing just 59.6 percent of his passes.
Rookie quarterbacks tend to struggle, and it's hard to know how many of those struggles could be blamed on Meyer's disastrous coaching regime. The hope going forward, of course, is that Pederson's partnership with the young quarterback will be far more fruitful.
He certainly brings a solid resume to the table. It was under Pederson that Carson Wentz had his best season as a pro in 2017, throwing for 3296 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 games before tearing his ACL. And it was also under Pederson that Nick Foles took over that year and had the best stretch of his career, leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl title.
In total, Pederson went 42-37-1 in his five seasons at the helm in Philadelphia, leading the Eagles to the playoffs three times. That past success, combined with his time as a quarterback during his NFL playing games, should make him a solid mentor for Lawrence.
"He's a humble guy and that's what you want as a quarterback—somebody who's kind of a sponge, who wants to learn and wants to grow," Pederson told reporters March 30 when talking about Lawrence. "He wants to put the team first and those are all great qualities in Trevor."
The Jaguars also were busy in the offseason trying to improve that team around Lawrence, signing Brandon Scherff, wide receivers Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Laquon Treadwell and tight end Evan Engram, alongside a number of moves on the defensive side of the ball.
It's been a busy offseason for the Jaguars. But compared to last season, it's been far more calm.