In two recent confidence meters, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence gets so-so results.
According to a recent assessment by Sports Illustrated, the Jacksonville Jaguars should only feel decently confident in quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Matt Verderame of SI ranked the confidence levels each team in the AFC should have in their quarterbacks.
Verderame ranked confidence levels from 1-10, and has both the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans with full 10s. The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson get a nine, as do the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen.
The Jaguars however earn a seven out of 10, with the assessment being down on Lawrence’s ability to take the next step.
Yes, Trevor Lawrence played through injuries throughout the back half of the season. Yes, his offensive line was inconsistent. But Lawrence was supposed to take a quantum leap last year, and instead threw 21 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. More importantly, Jacksonville collapsed down the stretch, missing the playoffs. Lawrence is still a terrific player, but he has much to prove.
The other two teams ahead of Jacksonville in terms of confidence in their quarterback are the Cincinnati Bengals with an 8.5 and the Los Angeles Chargers with an 8.
As for the rest of the AFC South, the Jags rank behind C.J. Stroud and the Texans but are well ahead of the Indianapolis Colts (5.5) and the Tennessee Titans (4.5).
While the ranking may seem harsh on its face, it is not necessarily an indictment on Lawrence or the team, but rather a showcase of how quarterback-heavy the AFC is.
No one is ever going to put Lawrence ahead of Mahomes, or not yet anyway. Jackson is coming off his second NFL MVP and Joe Burrow has been to a Super Bowl.
There is a case to be made about Stroud being too high, as he only has played one season. But that one season lit the NFL on fire, and saw him and his team win the AFC South title from underneath the Jags.
Lawrence’s ranking by SI.com comes on the heels of another poll of quarterbacks from around the league.
In the NFL.com’s QB index, ranking all 66 starting quarterbacks from the 2023 season, Lawrence was slotted 15th overall.
Lawrence ranked behind Jalen Hurts, but ahead of the also injured Joe Burrow. In 2022, Lawrence was ranked sixth in the same poll.
I can explain Lawrence’s 2023 season in one word: Almost. A campaign full of near-misses – either on his part or his teammates’ – defined the experience leading up to the team’s late-season collapse. By that point, Lawrence was playing through two or three injuries and couldn’t be the same quarterback. And before then, something was just slightly off in Jacksonville’s offensive operation. Lawrence had some really great moments, but in totality, it wasn’t consistent enough to elevate the Jaguars to the place we thought they’d reach. For Lawrence and the Jaguars, it’s back to the drawing board now, but don’t worry, his potential remains sky high.
In Nick Shook’s assessment of Lawrence and the team, he puts it perfectly with the word “almost.”
The Jags almost won the AFC South. They almost repeated as division champs and almost hosted a playoff game. Then there were almost wins over Kansas City, Cincinnati, Baltimore. The list goes on.
What these lists say about Lawrence is minimal in the grand scheme of things, but they are worth noting.
No one is done believing in Lawrence and his ability to become the greatest quarterback of all time, which he was predicted to be.
It may be taking longer than expected, but the belief is sky-high in the former No. 1 overall pick. Clearly, though, there are people far beyond the Jags’ fan base who are worried about how Lawrence has fared in his first three seasons in the pros.
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