QB Trevor Lawrence Remains on a ‘Pitch Count’ As Jaguars Continue Rookie Minicamp
Do you remember as a child, dreaming for months and months about a new toy? Cutting out pictures and leaving them around as clues for mom and dad, planning all the ways you’d have fun once you finally got it? Then once it finally arrived, you held your breath during playtime for the first few weeks, scared to death to hurt it?
That’s how the Jacksonville Jaguars are currently protecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft arrived on the First Coast already deemed a savior. The club and Head Coach Urban Meyer would understandably want to be careful with the man expected to start a new era. But Lawrence is also recovering from a February labrum surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. As such, as the 2021 class heads through rookie minicamp, Meyer and staff are keeping their prized toy wrapped up for as long as possible.
“He’s on a 30-40 [throw] pitch count right now and that’s just our physical therapist — we’re being very cautious, could probably go a little bit more, but we just want to be very smart about everything,” Meyer revealed to local reporters on Saturday.
The pitch count refers to the amount of throws the staff is allowing Lawrence to throw in a daily practice. Typically he’d be throwing around 50-60 passes in a given practice. Lawrence himself feels recovered three months out from his surgery.
“I’m still being careful when I’m lifting, I think that’s probably the only limitation as of right now—it’s just not putting too much weight on it. But as far as the repair, I mean, it’s healed,” Lawrence explained to local media on Saturday following the second day or rookie minicamp.
“I’ve got full range of motion, pretty much. I need to work on it a little bit, but I’m feeling great. So, we’re taking steps in the right direction for sure, just trying to make sure I’m good come game one.”
The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association protects the players from workouts and practices that are too strenuous so Lawrence would already be doing less than he might be used to from college. But with the shoulder—and the amount of responsibility that will be placed on Lawrence come fall—there is an extra level of caution and the former Clemson Tigers quarterback and Heisman finalist does understand why the staff is being cautious.
“I really appreciate the staff here,” commented Lawrence. “[They’re] just looking out for my best interest, trying to slowly get me back in game shape and throwing shape for practice, so I can go out there full-go whenever the whole team is back together. So, that’s been good for me.
“I want to get out there and just throw and go. But I think it’s better for me in the long run, just to take it slow and get acclimated—just because I’m still recovering from my left shoulder. It’s feeling great, no complaints here. I’m making great progress. But I’ve still got to just be smart and take it easy. But yeah, I’m wanting to go out there and throw a lot, but we’re keeping it at around 30 to 40 balls, not including the warm-up. So, [we’re] keeping it light just to make sure I’m feeling good.”
The primary reason for caution, according to Meyer, is not even so much the throwing motion, considering the surgery was conducted on Lawrence’s non-throwing shoulder. It’s more so protecting the quarterback overall. QB’s wear non-contact jersey’s in practice, but by keeping Lawrence on a pitch count, the staff is able to limit any extra risk as well.
Explained Meyer, “Pitch count, throwing the ball I don’t see is the issue. The number one issue is falling. He can’t hand off right now, he can’t take a direct snap from under center. We’re just worried about any chance of that arm getting jammed right now. They’ve told me the labrum is healed after three months, which it’s been three months, but we can’t have a guy on the ground. That’s the biggest thing is we’ve got to keep people away from him. The pitch count is not as big as the fact as keeping him upright.”
Meyer does expect Lawrence to be full-go by the “end of Phase 3: OTAs and mandatory minicamps.”
All of this extra time taking it easy though is giving Lawrence a chance to adapt to a new part of the NFL game; getting the calls through the helmet.
“No-huddle quarterbacks have a tendency to struggle a little bit with verbiage, calling plays and getting used to a coordinator calling it in your helmet — he’s really adapted well to that,” bragged Meyer.
Added Lawrence, “We signaled in college, so [the] NFL is completely different. But I think I’m making good progress and I’m getting more used to hearing the calls, and repeating them, and breaking them up to where everyone is understanding it. And really being able to direct guys, because some of the guys are just trying to learn everything still.
“So, I think that’s helping a lot—me being able to take charge and lead a little bit there. And it’s just getting more and more comfortable with that, which I am, but that just takes a bunch of reps. To get good at something, you’ve got to practice it a lot. So, [I’m] going to try to keep working it.”
For the time being though, all of the extra reps may have to wait as the Jaguars keep their new prized possession as safe as possible.
