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Is Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence operating at high level? Liam Coen: Yes, he is
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- Is Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence operating at high level? Liam Coen: Yes, he is
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is making progress through his first offseason with the team's new coaching staff, and head coach Liam Coen is impressed.
Lawrence is learning a new offense, which comes with different movements, language and nuances that he isn't necessarily used to. Coen made the changes clear when the team first got back together, including what he expected to change with Lawrence's footwork .
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"There's so much that occurs on a play, if you can have core fundamentals in footwork, and that you believe in, and that you trust, in those times of crisis, you have something to actually fall back on and play with a quieted mind," Coen said in early April about tweaking Lawrence's footwork to fit what the offense wants to accomplish.
Now, nearly two months later, Coen is already seeing the fifth-year quarterback make tremendous strides within the offense as they head into mandatory minicamp next week. The Jaguars completed their 10th and final Organized Team Activity on Thursday, putting a bow on the voluntary portion of the offseason.
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"Yeah, I think, you know, when you look at maybe the first few days of OTAs, and really even phase two that we were out here on the grass, I think his footwork has drastically improved. I think just the rhythm of playing the position in every system is different, right?" Coen explained, when asked on Thursday, about Lawrence's progress.
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Coen explained that a quarterback's drop, where they go after initially snapping the ball, is similar to a dance. Every song has a different rhythm, every play has a distinct rhythm down to the systems a player is in. The franchise is continuing to develop that for Lawrence, which is why they are emphasizing his footwork early on as the team learns a new system and coaching staff.
"We talk about footwork so much, because when the game is being played, we know it's lived in the gray, but we're trying to create black and white lines for footwork, for reads [and] for timing, because when the things start moving, oftentimes you have to revert back to your fundamentals, your footwork, your timing," said Coen.
The Jaguars have liked the progress Lawrence has made, with Coen indicating he feels he's taken "a step" in that area as well as the team's entire operation.
"What I've really looked for him in this time has been okay, really focusing on his lower half and his footwork, and then also just running the show. I'm not really judging, 'does he make every single throw right now? Is every single ball perfectly accurate right now?" Coen said, but answered one question that could be the most important at this stage in the offseason.
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"Is he operating the offense at a high level?" Coen asked. "Yes, he is right now."
Lawrence is attempting to make a comeback from a down season last year due to injuries and a failure of the team's offensive operation. In 2024, Lawrence completed just 60.6% of his passes for 2,045 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions through 10 games played.
The year marked Lawrence's worst since he completed just 12 touchdown passes during his rookie season in 2021 under disgraced former NFL head coach Urban Meyer.
Liam Coen explains late free agent additions, including Trenton Irwin
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Trenton Irwin (83) catches a pass during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
The Jaguars brought in three players recently, including two pass rushers and depth players in long-time Jags defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot and former Cardinals outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck .
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The team also brought in former Bengals receiver Trenton Irwin. Coen compared Irwin's timing of getting to a camp to last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when the team signed WR Sterling Shepard in a late-offseason move.
The Bucs signed Shepard on June 10th last year, just ahead of the team's mandatory minicamp. Irwin's signing is primarily about experience and what the team has heard from his former team.
"Continuing to add competition to the room and guys that have played some meaningful snaps in the league in a similar system. Just the type of person that he is, what we've heard from [Bengals HC] Zac [Taylor] and those guys in Cincinnati , just continuing to develop the roster, really. He is so far, he's been a great guy to kind of get to know a little bit and he'll continue to learn the offense as we go here," Coen said about Irwin when asked Thursday.
Coen was familiar with Gardeck, competing against him twice a year when the head coach was with the Los Angeles Rams several years ago. Coen explained that Gardeck was a player who the team highlighted on the "game-wrecker board" primarily for his special-teams ability, but also his ability as a pass rusher.
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"So it just gives us somebody a little bit different kind of style. Rusher, special teams demon, he was a captain in Arizona on special teams. He had three sacks in a game last year. I'm not sure how many people did that this past season, but he did and had an interception in the following game," Coen said.
"So you're just looking at continuing to find guys that can disrupt the game in a specific way, whether it's in the PPR or on special teams."
As for Smoot, Coen said adding competition to the room was the primary reasoning for bringing him back, in addition to his roots with the area and friendships he had on the team.
Jacksonville's strength coach, Eric Ciano, spent last season with Smoot when the defensive end and coach were members of the Buffalo Bills .
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"He just said he was a tireless worker in the weight room, on the practice field, consistently going. You kind of had to pull him back at times and that was something that continues to get a little bit of veteran presence, guys that have played meaningful reps in this league that can give us some meaningful snaps, hopefully, and continue to create that competition we're looking for," Coen explained.
Standout player of the day: Jaguars OTA No. 10
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) catches a pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16), not shown, during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
There isn't much to glean from Organized Team Activities, but one player did make a few standout plays on Thursday: former Wake Forest linebacker Branson Combs.
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Combs made a few plays on the football during the nearly two-hour session on Thursday. A rookie, Combs could have a role on special teams down the line if he continues to impress.
Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. also showcased his talents heading into his second season with the franchise. Thomas has taken a step from when he arrived last year, and it's showing through OTAs.
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 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Trevor Lawrence already running Jacksonville Jaguars offense at high level
