Trevor Lawrence's Confidence Is 'Off the Charts' Ahead of 3rd Season, Jaguars HC Says

As Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence enters his third year in the NFL, head coach Doug Pederson has noticed a stark difference in his demeanor.

"The biggest thing that I've seen with Trevor, now going on two years, from where we had him a year ago in the offseason to today, just his confidence is incredible. It's off the charts," Pederson said on Monday, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "He's put the past behind him, he's focused on the future, and really embraced this opportunity with this football team. The confidence level with him is extremely high, as it should be."

After leading the league with 17 interceptions as a rookie, Lawrence enjoyed a strong sophomore campaign in which he threw for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight picks while leading the Jags to an AFC South title and a run to the divisional round of the playoffs. Despite losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the 2021 No. 1 pick stood toe-to-toe with two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in a one-score game.

Pederson, who is entering his second year at the helm for Jacksonville, said he's enjoyed the opportunity to help Lawrence develop because of how much the young signal-caller embraces the learning process.

"It's fun to be around guys like that and young quarterbacks like that, again, as we've said, he's a sponge," Pederson said. "He wants to learn. He wants to get better. Obviously, he's not where he wants to be or where we want him to be because we can always get better and improve. I think his overall leadership ability has really been the bright spot for him heading into training camp this year."

The Jags have a talented offensive group around Lawrence with players like running back Travis Etienne and wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who is coming off a yearlong suspension for gambling on NFL games. With Lawrence under center, Jacksonville should be in a position to compete for a second straight division title and a deeper playoff run.

The Jags will play their second preseason game on Saturday against the Detroit Lions.