Kevin Szafraniec discusses the steps Jacksonville has taken this offseason to change the direction of their declining franchise. Will the new coaching staff help Trevor Lawrence deliver on his college potential and bring the rest of the Jaguars offense along with him?
Following a National Championship win during his freshman season at Clemson, Trevor Lawrence was hit with the trendy yet misleading “generational prospect” label. Although he never again hit the same heights as his 2018 season, a second appearance in the championship game the following season and the continued spotlight while leading an elite program left little doubt that Lawrence would be the top overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Lawrence’s time since arriving in Jacksonville has been a bit of a roller coaster, kicking things off with the dysfunction of Urban Meyer’s short time with the organization. Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson was brought in to groom Lawrence the following season, resulting in a QB5 fantasy finish and a playoff appearance. However, the duo struggled to maintain their success, as both Lawrence and the team declined in each subsequent season following the renewed optimism of 2022.
After a disastrous 2024 season, the Jaguars’ leadership decided to completely overhaul the front office, hiring Liam Coen as the new head coach and James Gladstone as the new general manager. While the duo’s fresh takes have been promising, both remain largely unproven. Pulling off a blockbuster trade for two-way star Travis Hunter and retooling the roster to fit Coen’s scheme both look good on paper, but on-field performance will be the ultimate measuring stick of Jacksonville’s young leadership’s progress. Under the direction of the new regime, have Lawrence and the Jaguars found a blueprint for sustainable success, or will the team once again be searching for answers at the end of 2025?
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Jacksonville’s Diminishing Returns
Pederson appeared to be the coaching savior the Jaguars were looking for during his first season in Jacksonville, but the team’s performance got progressively worse on both sides of the ball with each passing season. Falling to a 4-13 record in 2024 secured Pederson a ticket out of Jacksonville, with general manager Trent Baalke following him out of town soon after.
