​Trevor Lawrence delivered what was arguably the best season of his NFL career in 2025, but even that top-tier play did not persuade NFL evaluators that he belongs among the league’s elite 10 quarterbacks. In ESPN’s 2026 quarterback rankings, determined after conversations with more than 70 league executives, coaches and scouts, Lawrence earned an honorable mention, placing him behind Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who secured the final spot in the top 10 after a tiebreaking process. The Jaguars now face the familiar question: just how much more must their franchise quarterback prove as they head into the 2026 season?
In Liam Coen’s offense, Lawrence threw for 4,007 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while adding nine rushing touchdowns for a total of 38 scores—a franchise-record. PFF credited him with an 82.8 overall grade, ranking him 10th among qualifying quarterbacks. His 2.0 percent turnover-worthy play rate was seventh-best, and his 74.6 passing grade under pressure ranked ninth, according to PFF’s 2025 quarterback grades. That improvement helped the Jaguars finish 13-4, win the AFC South, and return to the playoffs after a 4-13 season the year prior. Lawrence also finished fifth in the Associated Press MVP voting.
The team’s success and Lawrence’s production altered how the league and fans viewed him. Going into last season, questions swirled about his development, availability, and whether his five-year, $275 million extension signed in 2024 would prove worthwhile. He answered with career highs in passing touchdowns and total touchdowns while starting all 17 regular-season games. The strongest stretch came late in the season: over Jacksonville’s final four regular-season games, Lawrence threw 11 touchdown passes and just one interception, while surpassing 250 passing yards in each contest, per NFL.com. That late-season surge felt like a tangible breakthrough for Lawrence, even though evaluators stopped short of placing him in the top 10.
Critics and observers who spoke to ESPN largely voiced positive impressions of his growth. One veteran offensive coach credited Lawrence with a better grasp of defensive coverages, improved control of turnovers, and a sharper ability to recognize the answers available within Coen’s offense. Yet that praise also underscored a persistent hesitation: evaluators seem to attribute a significant portion of Lawrence’s improvement to Coen’s system. The offense provided cleaner pre-snap solutions and allowed him to play faster after several uneven seasons. While having a coherent, well-structured coaching framework certainly contributed to his progress, critics argue that Lawrence must demonstrate that the gains are sustainable beyond the familiarity of a single season and a new playbook, particularly now that opponents have a full season’s worth of film on Jacksonville’s scheme.
Coen has already seen signs of continued progress, including momentum that hints at even better performance moving forward. Still, the question remains whether Lawrence can translate this season’s results into consistent, long-term success against a broader slate of defenses. The next challenge for Lawrence will be proving that the improvements were not merely a product of Coen’s system, but of his own growth as a player who can excel across different schemes and against varied competition.
As the 2026 season approaches, Lawrence’s trajectory remains a focal point for the Jaguars and their fans. He has shown the capacity for peak production and resilience, but the broader judgment of his place among the league’s elite will depend on whether he can sustain this level of play and continue to elevate the Jaguars in a league where defenses adapt quickly and competition only grows tougher.