After a rough 2021 rookie campaign, Trevor Lawrence’s development and performance are going to be very important this upcoming season. That’s why he’s put in the work to make a huge leap while the organization has also improved things around him.
While Lawrence completed under 60% of his passes as a rookie, he still provided various highlight moments that made fans optimistic about his future. Others in the football community jumped on board with those fans after the Jags paired Lawrence with Doug Pederson and paid out the most guaranteed money in NFL history to improve the roster around him.
However, as of last week, Lawrence seems to have gained another believer (potentially) from the national journalism world. That analyst is NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, who got to see Lawrence up close last Thursday in the pregame process of the Hall of Fame Game.
After observing the second-year quarterback for roughly 100 throws, Simms said he was impressed by Lawrence’s improved mechanics. He not only discussed it in the pregame process but also on his podcast.
Last week on the field during Hall of Fame Game warmups, I watched Trevor Lawrence up close in person for the first time. Really changed my outlook for him.
Some thoughts… (1/4)— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) August 8, 2022
First off, what a specimen. He is the kind of QB you’d design in a lab. Got some thickness, but not too thick to affect his mobility.
And he has the neck of a middle linebacker. The Takeo Spikes of QBs. (2/4)— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) August 8, 2022
He’s got a strong arm, spins it to make it really catchable. I was thoroughly impressed and feel much better about him.
If Lawrence keeps throwing the way he did Thursday night, big things are coming in Jacksonville. (4/4)— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) August 8, 2022
The most notable part about Simms’ statements is that he’s a former NFL quarterback. He played in the NFL for eight seasons (2003-10), so he’s been around professional quarterbacks for a bit.
However, Simms isn’t the only one to comment on Lawrence’s mechanics. Pederson was asked about them too in camp and said he liked where Lawrence was in that regard of his game, though there were little things to tighten up.
“Mechanically, he’s sound,” Pederson said last month. “I would say sound but a work in progress as well. One of his strengths is his arm and he’s a tall guy. He stands nice and tall in the pocket and keeps his eyes down the field. We just have to continue to work his base and making sure he’s on time and in rhythm on every throw.”
Simms also praised the Jags overall roster in terms of having a physically gifted looking group overall. Only time will tell if they play to their potential, though, as they look to move away from the three-win season they had in 2021.
