3 areas where Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence should improve after 2 preseason games
It hasn’t been an easy start for Jacksonville Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s NFL career. The number one overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft has yet to put any points on the board for the Jaguars after his two preseason game appearances.
Lawrence has not turned the ball over, but he is yet to find the endzone this NFL preseason. The 21-year-old has not yet been named the Jaguars starter by new head coach Urban Meyer, but it would be a shock not to see Lawrence under center in Week 1.
Meyer told NFL media last week:
“If he’s not the quarterback we think we can win with - we haven’t made that decision. It’s not a four-year plan. It’s not fair to these players. It’s a one-year plan.”
Where can Trevor Lawrence improve before the NFL regular season starts?
Now that Lawrence has had two games of NFL preseason football under his belt, the young QB should be seeking to improve in the following areas:
#1 Getting rid of the ball
The Jacksonville Jaguars rookie QB took a sack on his first play in the NFL; Lawrence has taken three sacks over the first two preseason games.
Now that number doesn’t seem high, but it is the preseason, which means Lawrence is not facing the opposition's starting defenses or star players.
It’s something the young quarterback realizes he needs to improve on.
“I just got to get a little bit better at getting the ball out, taking completions and staying out of second-and-long and third-and-long,” Lawrence said. “We've got to click a little bit more, still got some work to do ... but I think we're heading in the right direction.”
#2 Avoiding big hits
The 6' 6", 213 lb Lawrence is not a small guy, but he does need to understand that he is not indestructible. The former Clemson star ran for nine yards against the New Orleans Saints only to collide with two defenders and take a big hit.
It's not the kind of play that Jags head coach Urban Meyer will want to see his rookie attempt during the regular NFL season.
#3 Scoring TDs
The number one job of an NFL quarterback is to put points on the scoreboard. So far, Trevor Lawrence has failed in the most important part of his role. In his two NFL preseason games, Lawrence has not thrown a single touchdown, nor rushed for a score either.
Against the Cleveland Browns, he went 6/9 for 71 yards and zero TDs. On Monday night against the New Orleans Saints, he went 14/23 for 113 yards and zero touchdowns. The Jaguars did kick a field goal after one of Lawrence's series, but that’s nothing to be proud of.
In the Jags' final preseason game, Lawrence needs to find the endzone to show the coaching staff, teammates and fans that he has what it takes to be a star QB in the NFL.