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Can Doug Pederson help Trevor Lawrence unlock his true potential?

Indianapolis Colts v Jacksonville Jaguars
Indianapolis Colts v Jacksonville Jaguars

Last night, it was announced that former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson will be the next Jacksonville Jaguars head coach. This new hire comes after the firing of Urban Meyer on December 16, following a lousy season in Jacksonville.

In his time with the Eagles, Pederson helped develop and had success with two quarterbacks -- Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. In 2017, the Eagles went 13-3. They won the NFC East and were led by great quarterback play from Wentz. Wentz was on his way to being named MVP that season, as he went 11-2 as the starter, throwing for 33 touchdowns and 3,296 yards in just 13 games. Wentz, unfortunately, tore his ACL in Week 14 against the Rams, causing his season to end.

The Eagles turned to backup quarterback Nick Foles, who went 2-1 as the starter to finish the regular season, while making the playoffs. The Eagles made a playoff run led by Foles who was 3-0 in playoff games. They would go on to win Super Bowl LII.

Can Trevor Lawrence reach the next level with Pederson as head coach?

Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles

The number-one overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft didn't have the best rookie season. Lawrence didn't have a stellar rookie year, like Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, etc. did. Lawrence won only three games as a rookie. He threw 3,641 yards with a 12-17 touchdown interception ratio, which wasn't good.

Lawrence struggled as rookie, but that's not uncommon. Peyton Manning, also, had a bad rookie season, but still ended up becoming one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Lawrence, also, didn't have the best coaching, which was led by Urban Meyer last season, and many of his top weapons got hurt for the year (Travis Etienne, DJ Chark, and Jamal Agnew.) Jacksonville, also, didn't have the best offensive line last season. According to PFF, the Jaguars offensive line ranked 21st last season.

So far, the two are off to a good start. Adam Schefter reported that Lawrence and Pederson spoke on the phone yesterday. They discussed their future together before the head coach was hired.

New Jaguars’ HC Doug Pederson and QB Trevor Lawrence spoke on the telephone earlier this evening, before Jacksonville hired its new head coach. The two already were discussing their future together.

Lawrence quote tweeted the Jaguars' announcement of Doug Pederson as head coach, saying, "Let's get to work. Great days ahead."

Let’s get to work💪🏼 - Welcome to #DUUUVAL ! Great days ahead. twitter.com/Jaguars/status…

Pederson can be a great fit for Lawrence. He's a great leader as a coach who had success with mutliple quarterbacks in a Super Bowl-winning season. If the two can establish good chemistry, then Lawrence can certainly elevate his game.

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