Shaky OL Leads to Mixed Bag of Results from Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is considered one of the better quarterbacks in the National Football League. However, he needs better protection from his line.

Bills Von Miller heads toward Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during second half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sept. 23, 2024. Miller had sacked Lawrence in the fourth quarter on a previous play. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Part of the reason the Jacksonville Jaguars struggled this past season was a number of injuries to critical players on the roster. One of those players was veteran quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who missed about half of the season due to various injuries he sustained.

Daniel Griffis of Yahoo Sports recently analyzed Lawrence's strengths and weaknesses as he enters his fifth season in the league. Griffis noted that Lawrence handles pressure from the opposing teams relatively well, even while playing behind a subpar offesnive line.

"To no surprise, pressure and blitzes matter a lot. When Lawrence was kept clean, he saw a pass rating of 89.65, compared to 79.89 when pressured. Lawrence is pretty solid under pressure, compared to the rest of the league," Griffis said.

"He finished 2024 with the 10th-best passer rating under duress. When clean, he finished with an 85.3 rating in 2024, 33rd of 36 quarterbacks. That figure has got to rise going forward.

"Facing blitzes, however, has not been Lawrence’s strong suit. He just has not been very good. Among the 13 categories listed, Lawrence’s rating against blitzes was the lowest at just 71. When a standard pass rush is sent his way, his passer rating rose to 92.63. Luckily for Lawrence and the Jaguars, he has been among the NFL’s least blitzed quarterbacks.

"When a standard pass rush is sent his way, his passer rating rose to 92.63. Luckily for Lawrence and the Jaguars, he has been among the NFL’s least blitzed quarterbacks," Griffis said.

Jacksonville's front office must do what they can to improve the offensive line this summer, as Lawrence cannot afford much more wear and tear on his body. Lawrence was on pace to match or beat his previous career-high for sacks in a season, which he set two seasons ago.

The Jaguars' front office invested nearly $300 million into Lawrence, as they were convinced he is their franchise quarterback. However, the talented quarterback is only as good as the players he has around him. This is the case for every quarterback.

Jacksonville has many decisions to make this offseason, but none are as pressing giving Lawrence more to work with.

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