Clemson football: Jags realistic expectations for Trevor Lawrence in year 2

By any measure former Clemson football quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a tough season both on and off the field in his rookie campaign.

Such is the life of almost every overall number 1 draft pick in the NFL, particularly quarterbacks.

Lawrence threw for 3,641 yards and 12 touchdowns with 17 interceptions as the Jags floundered to a 3-14 record and last place finish in the mediocre AFC South.

The good news is Urban Meyer is gone, replaced by quarterback friendly Doug Pederson and the Jags have upgraded around Lawrence.

"Working in Lawrence’s favor is that the organization took care of two things that held him back in 2021. For starters, they kicked Urban Meyer to the curb and hired Doug Pederson as their head coach. Pederson is known around the league for his work with quarterbacks, so if anyone can get the most out of Lawrence, it’s him.Second, the Jags spent the offseason upgrading Lawrence’s supporting cast. Not only did they bolster the offensive line and their wide receiver corps but they also revamped most position groups on defense."

As for 2022 expectations, they aren’t modest, but they aren’t out of the question either.

"Doubling Lawrence’s touchdown totals would be the floor and scoring 30 times would be great but 24 to 26 touchdowns seem like an attainable figure. Similarly, he needs to cut down on the interceptions, and 10 to 12 would be optimal."

He’ll also have Travis Etienne at his disposal.

At Clemson, Lawrence had a bevy of talent around him on both sides of the ball.  That’s not the life he was handed in the NFL, and his head coach was the direct opposite in every way of what he dealt with in college.

Jags fans are realistic in their expectations and realize that one man, even the top pick in the draft, can’t overcome the obstacles the organization faced in 2021.

Realistic goals have been set, the roster and head coach have been markedly improved upon and now it’s time to see improvement from Trevor.