Why 2025 is an important year for Trevor Lawrence
By Andy Davies
A lot was expected of Trevor Lawrence when he was drafted first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft.
After a successful three years with the Clemson Tigers, Lawrence was seen as a sure thing. He was compared to Andrew Luck as a pro ready quarterback. However, after four seasons in the NFL, the jury is out on whether Lawrence will ever live up to his draft hype.
With just one season in the playoffs and a 22-38 regular season record, Lawrence is entering an important year in 2025.
Can Lawrence answer the critics?
Lawrence was afforded a bye in his first season, after what was a tumultuous year with head coach Urban Meyer. With 12 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and just three wins in 2021, the Jags were given the first overall pick once again in 2022.
Defensive lineman Travon Walker was taken with the pick and whilst he struggled in his rookie year, the Jaguars got hot and went from 3-7 in Week 10 to a 9-8 record in Week 18, winning the AFC South title in the process. During the playoffs, they turned a 27-7 halftime deficit into a 31-30 win in their Wildcard Round meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers.
They may have lost 27-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round, but hope was back within the Jaguars fanbase. Lawrence had just come off an excellent sophomore season, where he recorded 4,113 yards, 25 touchdown and 8 interceptions, and they were the reigning division champions.
The momentum carried on into 2023, where they ended Week 12 with an 8-3 record and they were the number one seed in the AFC. In a completely opposite run down the stretch to that of a year prior, Jacksonville would only win one more game, as they lost five of their final six games to end the season 9-7.
As comes with the nature of being a quarterback, Lawrence received criticism for how the season ended. He had 14 picks all season, but seven of these came in the final four games. Three came in the 31-27 loss to the Cleveland Browns and he threw for two in both their Week 17 and 18 losses.
Against the Titans in Week 18, a team who had just five wins in 2023, Lawrence struggled. With less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, they had three downs in total to make at least two yards and keep the game going. On second down, Lawrence overthrew on second down to Calvin Ridley with the two-minute warning having been and gone. On third and fourth down, he tried to make the short passes to extend the possession but failed to make these. In the space of a year, his stock had dropped significantly and 2024 did him no favours.
Proving his worth
Prior to the beginning of the 2024 season, Lawrence got paid. He put pen to paper on a five-year, $275 million deal, at the time tying for the highest paid quarterback in NFL history.
The franchise clearly feel that he is the future. However, the 2024 season did him no favours. Albeit, he only played ten games, but he only mustered 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
With wide receiver Christian Kirk traded to the Houston Texans and only Dyami Brown coming in his place, the Jags have done little to give Lawrence the support he needs to truly excel at the pro level.
Jacksonville will hope that Lawrence can repay the faith shown by the franchise in not only drafting him, but also for the money that was invested in him. Should he struggle again in 2025, calls of him being a “bust” will only get stronger . However, a strong year, and the front office will have gotten their money’s worth with Lawrence back in the top 10 QB discussions.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER FOUR YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY HAS BEEN TO EVERY NFL STADIUM AND IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD PODCAST. HE HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS SUCH AS THE SUPER BOWL, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF AARON RODGERS, JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, PATRICK MAHOMES, TRAVIS KELCE, DERRICK HENRY, SAQUON BARKLEY AND JALEN HURTS.