Jaguars' Pederson: Lawrence 'throwing the ball the best I've seen him'

Trevor Lawrence put on a show with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year, but head coach Doug Pederson thinks the star quarterback looks even better ahead of the 2023 season.

"He's throwing the ball the best I've seen him in the year and a half I've been with Trevor," Pederson said of Lawrence in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. "And just really, the sky is the limit with this guy. And if we just continue to improve and just really keep those pieces around him healthy, this offense could really take off."

Lawrence, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, joined the Jaguars as one of the greatest prospects in recent memory. However, the Clemson product struggled as a rookie and led the NFL with 17 interceptions while playing for a struggling Jacksonville team led by Urban Meyer. The Jaguars fired Meyer 13 games into the campaign after he went 2-11.

With Pederson replacing Meyer last year, Lawrence bounced back. The star passer caught fire in the second half of the season and finished 2022 with a 66.3% completion rate, 4,113 passing yards, and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He also scored five rushing touchdowns.

"He's mature above his years," Pederson added. "What he went through his rookie season, to really come out of that last year and shine. He doesn't get too high or too low, he stays even-keeled. His emotions are that way."

Lawrence also led the Jaguars to the club's first playoff appearance since the 2017 season. Jacksonville stunned the Los Angeles Chargers with a wild comeback in the wild-card game before falling short in the divisional round against the Kansas City Chiefs.