Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is earning a lot of praise after a masterclass performance against the Baltimore Ravens. His teammate Dewey Wingard says the success for the 23-year-old quarterback is well earned after the passer’s nightmarish rookie season.
Lawrence began his career working with coach Urban Meyer, who was fired after a 2-11 start to the 2021 season amid a myriad of scandals and ineptitude on the field. The quarterback finished his rookie year with an NFL-leading 17 interceptions and 12 touchdowns.
“I’m so happy for Trevor because he had to deal with Urban Meyer, and I don’t even know if he had a rookie year,” Wingard said after Lawrence’s three-touchdown performance Sunday, via Action Sports Jax. “And to see the growth he’s made, not just on the field, but his preparation, his demeanor, and all that. … I’m just so happy for him.”
Wingard saw the most significant action of his season so far, playing 34 defensive snaps against the Ravens. He played 16 total defensive snaps in the first 10 games of the season and primarily saw action as a special teamer.
In the fourth quarter, Wingard set up the Jaguars to take the lead when he chopped the ball out of the arms of Ravens running back Gus Edwards, forcing a fumble that was recovered by cornerback Tyson Campbell.
If Wingard’s subtle diss of Urban Meyer in his praise of Lawrence didn’t already make his thoughts on the team’s offseason coaching change abundantly clear, his effusive praise of Pederson after the game hammered the point home.
“The stones on that guy, I would die for Doug Pederson, I swear,” Wingard said. “I would run into battle with Doug Pederson, 100 percent. I love the guy.”
Wingard signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and the team retained his rights during the 2022 offseason by placing a restricted free agent tender on the safety.
