Jaguars HC names 'No. 1 thing' QB Trevor Lawrence must improve
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson wants quarterback Trevor Lawrence to prioritize reducing his turnovers.
"It's the biggest thing that he has to focus on moving forward," Pederson said, via ESPN's Michael DiRocco. "We just can't have this amount of turnovers. How we turn the ball over, where we turn the ball over, it doesn't matter. We've got to protect the football. That's the No. 1 thing. For the quarterback, the person that touches the ball every snap, we got to make sure the emphasis is taking care of the ball."
The former No. 1 overall pick has 60 turnovers in three seasons, including a league-high 21 (14 interceptions and seven fumbles) in 15 games in 2023. Since 1978, only 11 QBs had more turnovers than Lawrence over their first three seasons, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
It was one reason the Jaguars collapsed after an 8-3 start and missed the playoffs. He turned the ball over 10 times in his last five games and went 0-5.
"When you don't turn the ball over, you win more games," Lawrence told DiRocco. "It's definitely an emphasis [this offseason]. There's a lot that goes into that. I've got to own my part, and I've got to take better care of the ball. That's going to give us a better chance to win a lot of these games."
Lawrence is a talented player. The 24-year-old surpassed the 4,000 passing yard mark for a second consecutive season, playing through knee, ankle and calf injuries.
Still, ball security is imperative. Improving this aspect of his game will help him become more consistent. Jacksonville needs him to bounce back next season in order to be competitive in a steadily-improving AFC.
More must-reads: