Liam Coen Questions Trevor Lawrence’s Readiness With Honest Assessment on Jaguars QB

If you’ve been following the Jaguars’ summer, you’ve probably felt a taut little thread of optimism getting stretched thinner with every practice. New coach Liam Coen came in promising a fresh look and a reset for Trevor Lawrence, but he took a different approach this time around. This week, Coen did something rarer than playbook praise: he pulled back the curtain and pointed to the problem, bluntly.

Coen cut through the fluff in his assessment. “In the spring, there was a little bit more, maybe errant, maybe misses, it was daily almost in some ways where you’re getting used to the scheme….your footwork….new receivers, and so it’s not as clean,” questioning Trevor Lawrence’s readiness. However, he was quick to cover up, showing his praise and general assessment of the quarterback. “It’s still not where it needs to be, which is the beautiful part. I mean, it shouldn’t be. We don’t expect it to be that way right now, but for the most part, like, just taking care of the football is a huge thing.”

And as big as his ceiling is, you could see the flaws in preseason. Lawrence’s stat sheet: 119 yards and one score in limited work is rather modest. It won’t raise alarms by itself, since starters rarely light up August box scores. But the context matters: Jacksonville stumbled to a 0–2–1 finish, and the first-team offense sputtered in the very series designed to sharpen timing.

Syndication: Florida Times-Union Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence 16 walks on the sideline during the fourth quarter of an NFL, American Football Herren, USA football matchup Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Vikings defeated the Jaguars 12-7. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union Jacksonville , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCoreyxPerrine/FloridaxTimes-Unionx USATSI_24751900

Context matters too. Lawrence’s 2024 ended in a blur of setbacks: A concussion, seven missed games, and finally surgery to repair his throwing-shoulder AC joint. The Jaguars have handled him cautiously ever since, but the ripple effect is obvious: timing and lower-body mechanics are usually the last pieces to click after shoulder work.

There’s also the churn factor: Lawrence is on scheme No. 3 in just five seasons, a carousel that’s forced him to re-learn playbooks, cadences, and progressions at a pace few quarterbacks survive. Coen’s version isn’t light reading either. It’s a timing-heavy, precision-based offense that punishes sloppy feet or late eyes. And by Coen’s own admission, Lawrence hasn’t yet synced the mental translation with the physical execution the system demands.

Yes, Coen also claimed that Trevor has grown considerably since spring. Even Lawrence himself admitted, “I really like the growth that we’ve honestly had since the spring and not just myself but the group. Because it takes all 11 of us. It’s the group up front, it’s me, it’s the backs … all of us working together taking some big steps.” But for a quarterback tied to a $275 million, five-year deal, urgency is important. And with Week 1 in the rearview, he needs to step up. He’s got the right weapons around him.

Trevor Lawrence has the ideal weapons around him

Jacksonville’s front office didn’t just talk about protecting Lawrence this offseason; they put cash and contracts behind those words. They brought in Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey, both penciled in as opening-day starters. They’re banking on the duo to clean up last year’s leaky interior and buy their $275 million quarterback a cleaner pocket.

Their projected front five looks almost unrecognisable from last fall. Walker Little at left tackle, Ezra Cleveland next to him, Robert Hainsey in the middle, Patrick Mekari shifting to right guard, and Anton Harrison locking down right tackle. On paper, it’s a sturdier wall, built less on flash and more on reliability.

The hope is clear. It’s that this line finally gives Trevor Lawrence the clean pockets he rarely saw in 2024 and enough rhythm reps to knock the rust off. Depth and stability up front aren’t luxuries here; they’re the foundation of the “get Trevor right” blueprint.

Lawrence’s supporting cast on the outside isn’t short on juice either. Brian Thomas Jr. already looks like a vet after a 1,200-plus yards, double-digit-TD (10) rookie breakout. Travis Hunter, whose release game and stop-start burst already look NFL-ready. Dyami Brown is the pure lid-lifter. The guy you line up just to make safeties backpedal, while Parker Washington thrives in the dirty yards: slants, pivots, option routes that keep drives alive.

The backfield is Lawrence’s pressure release, and it has to be. Travis Etienne Jr. might not have lit up 2024 the way he did earlier in his career. But he’s still the kind of back defense circle in red ink. His value isn’t just in raw yards; it’s in keeping Lawrence out of the third-and-long meat grinder where footwork and timing flaws get magnified. If the rebuilt interior can finally generate a consistent push, Etienne’s inside runs will keep linebackers honest and buy the QB a cleaner play-action menu.

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