Jaguars coach Doug Pederson says star quarterback Trevor Lawrence is ‘the real deal’
Trevor Lawrence was the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was widely considered a generational talent, and the Jacksonville Jaguars hoped the young quarterback would transform the franchise.
Few players started their NFL careers with the expectations Lawrence faced, but last season he began to show why he was the first player selected in the draft. He threw for over 4,000 yards in 2022 and threw for 25 touchdowns.
Lawrence helped the Jaguars qualify for the playoffs and led the team to an impressive victory in the wildcard round against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throws during the first half of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on December 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Doug Pederson, who won Super Bowl LII while head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, has been credited with helping Lawrence improve in his second campaign.
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Pederson is now entering his second year with the Jaguars and said Lawrence lived up to the high expectations placed on him.
“It’s the real deal,” Pederson told Sky Sports in reference to Lawrence. “He’s a sponge on the training ground, he’s a great communicator with us as a team, a great leader. He’s the guy we’ve all expected him to be, and he is. . We’re excited for that. He’s still young. He’s got a lot of ball ahead of him.”
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence dives for a two-point conversion during the AFC Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Chargers at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida on January 14, 2023. (Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Lawrence threw more interceptions than touchdowns during his rookie season under then-head coach Urban Meyer. The former National Championship-winning coach was sacked during the season after a 2-11 start.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence walks in the third quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on November 13, 2022. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Jaguars were a surprise team in 2022. But, after Lawrence’s strong second season and with the addition of veteran receiver Calvin Ridley and others, the team heads into 2023 with heightened expectations.
In August, Pederson said he was happy with how Lawrence has progressed in his second year in the offensive system.
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“The biggest thing I’ve seen with Trevor, over two years now, from last year in the offseason to now, his confidence is unbelievable,” Pederson said via the official Jaguars website. .
“It’s out of this world. He’s put the past behind him, he’s focused on the future and really embraced this opportunity with this football team. The level of trust with him is extremely high, as it should be. “
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