Jaguars Daily: How good is Trevor Lawrence really?

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Happy Thursday, everyone! We haven’t posted any Trevor Lawrence content in the past 12 hours, so I’d say we’re due.

Here’s all the Jacksonville Jaguars news that’s fit to print, or find from around the Internet.

How does Trevor Lawrence fit on this Jaguars team?

Trevor Lawrence has been the projected top pick for three years, but is he the elite franchise quarterback prospect that many have deemed him to be?

John Shipley examines here.

Why hasn’t JJ Watt signed with the Jaguars yet?

After ten seasons together, defensive end J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans mutually agreed to part ways not too long ago. Any team that is interested in upgrading their defensive line, including the Jaguars, should be looking for a way to get him. However, the Wisconsin standout hasn’t signed with anybody yet even though he’s free to do so at any time, and it’s fair to wonder what’s taking so long.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes there are two reasons why Watt hasn’t landed with a team yet. The first one is rather obvious; the salary cap will decrease this year and teams will have a limited budget to work with. On the other hand, Florio believes that teams are waiting to see which players are available in the open market.

There are currently no reports about any potential landing spots or offers for Watt. If money is really the biggest factor holding teams back from signing the All-Pro defensive end, he will probably have a small market for his services as there are currently three teams with $10 million or less in cap space and 13 others in the red.

The Jacksonville Jaguars may have an edge in the J.J. Watt sweepstakes.

Peyton Manning really likes Trevor Lawrence

Likely first overall pick Trevor Lawrence is already drawing lofty comparisons. As a prospect, he’s being compared to can’t-miss quarterbacks from over the years, such as John Elway, Andrew Luck, and recent Hall of Fame inductee Peyton Manning.

Speaking to the Charleston Post and Courier, Manning offered praise of Lawrence’s game as the passer prepares to make the jump to the next level.

“I like the way Trevor plays,” Manning said. “I like the way he competes and it’s been fun to see him develop between his freshman, sophomore and junior years. I’m excited for this next chapter for him.”

4 replacements at tight end for Tyler Eifert

The Jaguars need to give their roster a make-over after finishing 1-15 in 2020 and it seems like the first domino is about to fall. They will decline the 2021 team option on tight end Tyler Eifert’s contract, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. The team will free up $5.2 million in cap space this year while the Notre Dame product will become a free agent.

The decision didn’t come as a surprise as Eifert failed to have an impact on the field, hauling in 26 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns. While these aren’t bad numbers, this is not the kind of production a team should expect from a number one tight end, especially one making $5.2 million.

The Jaguars are set to have $77 million in cap space, so they could easily afford to pay Eifert’s salary this season. Nevertheless, they could use the space they save on other position groups or to sign an upgrade in free agency. While the Jaguars could trade up to take Kyle Pitts in the draft or take Pat Freiermuth late in the first round or early in the second, the open market will offer a few enticing options the Jacksonville should consider adding.

Here are four tight ends the Jaguars should target.

Urban Meyer announces hiring of Amy Palcic to lead Jaguars team communications

One of the most highly regarded public relations people in the NFL is back in the game.

First-year Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer announced Monday that the team had hired Amy Palcic to “lead our communications team!”

The hiring of Palcic comes roughly three months after she was surprisingly fired by the Houston Texans as one of the franchise’s sweeping and startling changes.

Jaguars to decline Tyler Eifert’s 2021 option, veteran tight end will enter free agency

Tyler Eifert’s tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars looks like will come to a close after just one season.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Jaguars are expected to decline the veteran tight end’s team option for 2021, meaning that he will now become a free agent. Eifert was due around $5 million in 2021 but will now look to recoup that money as he searches for a new club once he hits the open market.

Read more about the move here.

Keenan McCardell compares Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen to great Jaguars combo

Keenan McCardell has seen some pretty great receivers in his time as an NFL player and coach. He’s coached a lot of them during his time as a coach and, you know, he was one himself during his NFL career.

But McCardell has compared two of his newest charges, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, to one of the most dominant wide receiver pairings of the late 90s and early 2000s. That combo is the former pairing of Jimmy Smith and (get this!) Keenan McCardell.

Would you trade for Allen Robinson if he was tagged?

We answered some questions just a few weeks out from the NFL free agency window opening, and talked about Allen Robinson, Urban Meyer’s preferences on the offense, teal jerseys, and more.

Read the full BCC Q&A here.

Why Jaguars should trade up to draft Kyle Pitts

There were many reasons why the Jaguars were able to win just one game last season and having one of the worst offenses in the NFL played a big role. They knew band-aid solutions wouldn’t work, so they cleaned the house and brought in Darrell Bevell to oversee that side of the ball.

Bevell has put a few top-5 scoring offenses on the field throughout his coaching career, so he could definitely kick start the Jaguars’ offense. However, if the team’s brass wants their offensive coordinator to succeed, they will need to get him a few playmakers this offseason.

5 not-so-bold predictions for the Jaguars in free agency

With less than a month to go before the NFL 2021 offseason breaks open with free agency, we look at the Jacksonville Jaguars needs, wants and likely scenarios when it comes to the free-for-all.

Here are five “not-so-bold” predictions for the Jaguars in free agency next month.

Dabo Swinney: Trevor Lawrence will be an “international superstar”

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has already put one star quarterback into the NFL in Deshaun Watson, and now he’s about to watch another make that jump in Trevor Lawrence. Expectations are high for Lawrence, who is being dubbed one of the best quarterback prospects ever and the biggest sure-thing since Andrew Luck in 2012. But Swinney expects him to meet — and even exceed — those expectations.

After Lawrence’s pro day on Friday, Swinney told NFL Network’s Jane Slater that he would be an “international superstar” within the next 10 years, according to The Clemson Insider.

Jaguars coaches hint that OL may not be a top need

As important as the quarterback position is, perhaps the most crucial building block for a successful offensive unit is the guys up front. You can have talent under center and at the running back position, but if your offensive line can’t allow you the time to make things happen, it’s pointless.

That’s the reason why many expect the Jaguars to be aggressive in addressing offensive line needs both in free agency, with veterans like Trent Williams available, and through the draft. Assuming Jacksonville takes Trevor Lawrence with the first pick, it would make sense if building up a strong offensive front was a top priority.

But a recent quote from head coach Urban Meyer after Lawrence’s pro day indicates the Jacksonville coaching staff may not see the offensive line as a major weakness.