With another strong season, Jacksonville Jaguars starting QB Trevor Lawrence will propel himself to "elite" conversations.
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen seems to be the perfect match for starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who took big strides in his first year under his new head coach.
Entering this season, Lawrence has been pinned as a dark-horse MVP candidate, and more-importantly, a player who can lead Jacksonville to contention.
On Thursday, FOX Sports' Steven Ruiz released his tiers of all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL, with Lawrence falling in the third tier.
Ranked behind the three "Elite" QBs (Mahomes, Allen, Jackson) and five "Franchise Carriers" (Stafford, Herbert, Maye, Prescott, Burrow), Lawrence fell within the "On the Doorstep" tier.
Ruiz briefly noted Lawrence's strides with his first-year playcaller, but says that he will need to continue to clean up the "bozo" plays in order to rise up the tiers.
Last season, Lawrence led the Jaguars to a 13-4 finish, claiming the AFC South title, throwing for 4,007 yards and setting the single-season franchise record for touchdowns with 38.
The former No. 1 overall pick also showed improved ability as a runner, rushing for a career-high 359 yards and shattering his previous rushing touchdown mark of five with nine last season.
His past turnover problems, which Ruiz noted, was also brought down, as he threw just 12 interceptions and lost one fumble.
For Coen, Lawrence's intangibles and off-the-field qualities are what impress him, as he said the Jags QB's unique characteristics create a baseline for growth.
"When you start with A) humility and B) toughness, mentally and physically, I think you can do a lot with a quarterback," Coen said back in April. "I’m really excited about working with Trevor again this year."
Throughout the offseason, this "attack" mindset and lack of complacency has been echoed by Lawrence himself, who said that he is continuing to work on weaknesses in his game.
The next step for Lawrence is translating his success to the playoffs, as he is just 1-2, with a 75.8-average QBR in three appearances.
In Jacksonville's lone playoff game last year, a 27-24 loss against the Buffalo Bills, Lawrence threw for 207 yards and three touchdowns.
But, he was rather inefficient (18-30) and surrendered two interceptions.
His second giveaway effectively ended the game, and once again highlighted Lawrence's tendency to make questionable throws.
But, with Brian Thomas Jr. returning to full form, Parker Washington continuing to develop, and the passing game as a whole looking explosive throughout practice sessions, Lawrence has no shortage of talent around him.
With another statistically-comparable season and some playoff success, Lawrence will firmly be in the discussion for being a top-8 QB in the NFL.
