Jacksonville – The most important position that Doug Pederson prioritizes is quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars head coach emphasized the importance of Lawrence’s availability and health over everything else. During the AFC Coaches Breakfast at the 2024 NFL Annual Meeting, Pederson spoke extensively about Lawrence’s development and highlighted the need for him to avoid extended periods of injuries, as seen late last season.
The Jaguars had a promising start at 8-3 before missing the playoffs due to losing the final game of the regular season. To prevent a similar outcome, Pederson stressed the importance of Lawrence taking every snap in practice to ensure positive results. In the latter part of last season, Lawrence dealt with injuries that resulted in his absence in three of the final six games.
Despite playing through a concussion, shoulder injury, and high-ankle sprain, Lawrence only missed one game. The Jaguars went 1-5 in the final stretch of the season, with Lawrence showing less effective performance compared to earlier in the season when they went 13-3 with him throwing 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Pederson acknowledged that missing practices affects a quarterback’s performance on game day. He expressed that Lawrence was disappointed and frustrated with the late-season slide and understood that he needed to play better going forward. By prioritizing Lawrence’s health and active participation in practices, Pederson believed that the Jaguars could achieve better outcomes in the upcoming season.