Story by
Jacksonville Jaguars' Liam Coen sees 'the vision' with Trevor Lawrence, praises work ethic
- Story by
- Jacksonville Jaguars' Liam Coen sees 'the vision' with Trevor Lawrence, praises work ethic
PALM BEACH — Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen can't have much contact with Trevor Lawrence during this portion of the offseason. But, from the contact that he has had with the fifth-year signal-caller, he likes what he hears.
"I saw the vision. Talked to a guy that I know right off the bat is physically and mentally tough. I believe that about him. That's why I'm excited to work with him," Coen said at the annual NFL Owners Meetings on Monday.
Advertisement
"He's open, he just wants to accept as much coaching, he wants to be coached hard. He wants to do well. Those are great conversations, that he's open, he wants to work, and he's been willing to work."
OWNERS MEETINGS SCOOP: Jacksonville Jaguars having 'open conversations' on Travon Walker contract extension
Lawrence, drafted with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has had an up-and-down first four years in the league. After a difficult rookie season, Lawrence picked up steam during his sophomore season, showcasing his talent as the Jaguars made a short-lived playoff run. The last two seasons, though, have been marred with injuries. Lawrence has missed eight of 19 games since he missed the team's Week 17 game against the Carolina Panthers in 2023.
Last year, Lawrence sustained an AC joint sprain to his left, non-throwing shoulder, forcing him to miss two games before returning in Week 13 against the Houston Texans . After sustaining a concussion during the game, Lawrence and the team opted to shut down his season.
Advertisement
Lawrence missed the last five games of the year and seven total last year and had surgery on Dec. 17.
Coen feels 'sense of urgency' from Trevor Lawrence , gives health update
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is introduced before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Browns defeated the Jaguars 18-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Lawrence is naturally laid-back, an unassuming franchise quarterback that doesn't make much noise off the field. His competitiveness and work ethic on the field are quite the opposite, however.
Lawrence mentioned at the end of the season that his health and getting healthy are his first and top priorities. Having the ability to stay healthy throughout a season and not miss games is something Lawrence is determined to accomplish.
Advertisement
"You feel a sense of urgency from him without it sounding like panic. He knows, he's confident, he loves to play. He doesn't want to be hurt, he doesn't want to be not in the game. That means a lot to him. When you start there and that's the floor of the conversations, you feel so good about where it's going to go. Because it's honest, you can feel it from him," Coen explained when asked about Lawrence's current mentality.
"He's hungry, though. I would say that for sure. He's putting in time right now on his own without any sort of — he's doing it on his own maybe twice a day right now, doing stuff that'll help him get better. I think the fans should know that's this guy's work ethic. That's the way he does things," Coen added.
Coen noted that Lawrence is throwing a "little bit," and the team anticipates he will be able to get going in the spring and throw a little bit more.
"He's getting better every day," Coen added.
Advertisement
Lawrence has shined when healthy. In four years, Lawrence has completed 63.3% of his passes for 13,815 yards, 69 touchdowns and 46 interceptions. In 2022, Lawrence's best season, he completed 66.3% of his passes for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Despite his young age, Coen has been around the block. He's coached Jared Goff , Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield at various points throughout his NFL coaching career. The level of collaboration he's had between each of the three quarterbacks has been important, albeit different for each one. It'll be that way for Lawrence, too, but it's something the coach has embraced over the years.
"I think just being able to have honest conversations. We had some real hard, at times, honest conversations that allows us to, in times of crisis, be okay. Right?" Coen said of his relationship with Mayfield.
"In times of adversity, have real fluid conversations because it gets heated. Bake's yelled at me; I was okay with that. We had a good conversation, we moved on, but every relationship is different and I think that's what's important as you learn something from Matthew Stafford, from Jared Goff, from all these guys, and Baker, to be able to take from these relationships moving forward."
Advertisement
The Jaguars can get back to football soon. The NFL permits teams that hired a new head coach after the 2024 regular season to begin offseason workouts on April 7.
The Jaguars have not officially announced when offseason workouts are set to begin.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, please consider becoming a subscriber to support local journalism in Northeast Florida .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Liam Coen praises Lawrence's work ethic at NFL Owners Meetings
