Why Jaguars' Liam Coen Thinks Trevor Lawrence Has Similarities to Baker Mayfield

Jaguars will seek input from franchise quarterback before personnel decisions, coach adds

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) talks with offensive coordinator Liam Coen against the Washington Commanders during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Baker Mayfield has started for four NFL teams since the Browns drafted him No. 1 overall in 2018. Trevor Lawrence has now had four NFL head coaches since the Jaguars took him first overall in 2021. And like Mayfield, Lawrence is hoping the fourth time’s a charm.

In just one season, Liam Coen helped Mayfield reach career highs in passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating in 2024. At an important time in the quarterback’s career, Coen was there. Lawrence is also entering an important time in his career and Coen believes he can help the Jaguars’ 25-year-old franchise quarterback achieve similar results.

“He hasn't had the stability, similar to Baker,” Coen told reporters at the scouting combine Tuesday. “He’s going to learn; he's learned so much from his different experiences, right? For good and for bad, and he can take those experiences to really dive into this new process.”

That process will involve a weekly routine with daily assignments, focusing on third-down offense every Tuesday, for example. The goal is to achieve some level of consistency, similar to what Mayfield had with the Buccaneers last season. And before Jacksonville gets to minicamp, Coen and new general manager James Gladstone will seek Lawrence’s input on personnel decisions.

“Absolutely. He is our guy. He's the franchise,” Coen said Tuesday. “And as much as we can involve him in the process without maybe putting too much on his plate. He's a new father, now a husband. He's just getting into it, but he's hungry. He's hungry. He wants to be playing at the highest level possible. And how do we include him in some of those conversations specifically with some of the skill players and obviously on the offense line?”

Rest assured, there’ll be a lot of conversations. Lawrence has seemed to lose confidence over his last 15 games, a stretch in which Jacksonville is 2-13. In 10 starts last season before landing on injured reserve, Lawrence compiled a 60.6 completion percentage and 85.2 passer rating, and averaged just 204.5 yards per game, all his lowest marks since a dismal rookie year under Urban Meyer.

And while Lawrence and Mayfield are different in stature and style, Coen sees parallels in their NFL paths. Coen credited his predecessor in Tampa Bay, Dave Canales, with restoring Mayfield’s self-esteem when the quarterback replaced Tom Brady in 2023.

“The development of Baker will be different than Trevor,” Coen added. “It just will be because of the different type of player. But you see a lot of the same intangibles in terms of the work ethic, the want to. He wants to be great, he wants to be coached hard. And the process, how do we get him on a schedule, a process every single day that he can follow to get him to the point that he feels like he's playing at a higher level?”

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