Lingering instability could signal trouble for Trevor Lawrence
By John Buhler
![Trevor Lawrence, Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars Trevor Lawrence, Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_8256,h_4644,x_0,y_590/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/229/01j3jzmkja25zeqfbqb6.jpg)
Just when it was safe to almost sort of trust the Jacksonville Jaguars again, they revealed their true colors. Black and Teal is a great color scheme, but it has become synonymous with meddling and dysfunction in North Florida. After collapsing down the stretch last season, Jaguars owner Shahid Khan has concerns about who Trevor Lawrence's play-caller will be for this upcoming NFL season.
While appearing at the Miller Electric Center on Wednesday, Khan made it a point to voice his opinion on who should be calling the Jaguars' offensive plays between head coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor. Khan seems to believe Pederson's delegation of responsibilities to Taylor is what caused the team's unprecedented collapse down the stretch. He may not be wrong.
I do not know if I would be voicing these concerns publicly, but this the team than Khan owns after all.
"Yeah, I have an opinion, okay. But then those are things, it's like the question about Trevor, I have an opinion and I think, but I don't want to tell people, look, we need to do it. Because then things don't work out, they look at me and say, we did it because you wanted it."
Khan then went on to say that there was a whole New York Times article about this Duval debate.
"Okay. So I think there's so much been written about it. Heck, The New York Times had an article on it, and you remember the last line of that article. Okay, the last sentence of that article on this thing. So I think, but Doug, he's empowered. I'm going to let him decide.
The last sentence was either quoted verbatim or paraphrased by Khan himself about Pederson.
"The last sentence was with everything Doug Pederson has riding this season, be wise to have his hand on the wheel."
Who knew that Khan was such an avid reader and a subscriber to The Athletic in their pay model?
Doug Pederson says still no play-calling decision, will come later.
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) July 24, 2024
Pederson is asked if he'll weigh Shad Khan's thoughts on it: "Yes."
There is a lot to unpack here, but none of which sounds good for the team's starting quarterback.
Shahid Khan could cost Trevor Lawrence dearly in his growth as a QB
To me, it sounds like Khan wants Pederson to either figure it out, or he will hire somebody else who will. You think I'm joking, right? Well, Khan is the man who hired Urban Meyer off the Big Noon Kickoff studio set back in 2021. This is a man who didn't watch the NFL and had no idea who Aaron Donald was. Khan is capable of anything, which means talks of putting pressure on Pederson is very scary.
The moment Jacksonville moronically moves on from Pederson, the Jaguars go back to being totally irrelevant. I may like Lawrence's talent as a passer, but he has yet to prove in three years at the helm that he can be a separator and an elevator of talent at the quarterback position at the next level. He may have benefited from playing at Clemson during the best days under head coach Dabo Swinney.
What I think is going to happen is Pederson is going to put his faith and trust in Taylor to better in the same role he was in last season, hoping that he is ready for all that lies ahead in his coaching career. After all, his brother Zac had to grow into his role as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. It took some time, but nobody doubts his ability to coach and lead in a fairly dysfunctional setting over there.
Right now, we need to believe in the Jaguars' coaching staff to get the most out of Lawrence's immense talent. Jacksonville did hire former New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to lead that side of the ball. He is an emerging star in the coaching profession as well. However, if Taylor cannot cut it, Pederson must take over, it will be the end for him.
Khan didn't need to put the Jaguars' offensive staff on blast, but it is an area that must be improved.
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