Trevor Lawrence on Jaguars' Collapse: 'You Also Have to Learn From It and Move On'

Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars are ready to move past the 2023 season.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is sacked by Tennessee Titans safety Terrell Edmunds (38) in the third quarter during their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to wear the scars from the 2023 season until they step back onto the field in September. But that doesn't mean it isn't time for the Jaguars to start moving forward.

This isn't to say the Jaguars should forget the 2023 season and the feeling of failure that accompanied it. After starting 8-3 and having a realistic shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC in November, the Jaguars lost five of their final six games and missed the playoffs completely.

"Obviously to finish the way we did last year, it sucks," Lawrence said this week on NFL Network.

"You really put a lot of work in starting really in April all the way through and then to training camp and then throughout the whole season to put yourself in position to make the playoffs or win your division, whatever it is. And to be able to finish and finish the job, that sucks because you put a lot of work in and to see it all go to waste and you got to sit at home and watch everyone else play. That stings a little bit and you remember that, and it gives you some motivation going into next season."

Jags QB Trevor Lawrence spoke on the re-tooled offense, signing his extension and how to avoid another late-season swoon. From The Insiders @nflnetwork. pic.twitter.com/gzv2A7MG7S

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With all of this in mind, a new season is right around the corner. While the Jaguars should remember the sting of the 2023 season, they shoud also know that living in the past will only lead to repeating it.

"But at the same time, I think you use it as fuel but you also have to learn from it and move on. You know, we have another set of challenges this year and we can't hang our hats on what happened last year. We have to build that edge and find that consistency that is going to push us forward this season and get us to where we want to go," Lawrence said.

"It seems like we just lost a little bit of juice at the end of the season. Obviously a lot of injuries, a lot of things happened throughout the year. But there is no excuse. You go out there Sunday, you have a job to do. You have to go find a way to win the game and find a way to make the playoffs so you can go on a run, and we weren't able to do that last year and looking forward to doing that this year."

The Jaguars agreed to terms with the quarterback and former No. 1 pick last month, agreeing to a five-year deal worth $275 million with $200 million in guarantees and $142 million fully guaranteed.

Lawrence's deal will pay him an average of $55 million a season, which ties him with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as the highest-paid player on an annual basis in the NFL.

Since being drafted No. 1 in 2021, Lawrence has started 50 regular season games. Lawrence ranks fourth in franchise history in passing yards with 11,770 and is fourth in touchdown passes with 58.

Since being drafted, Lawrence has been voted as a team captain by his teammates each year of his NFL career and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2022 after recording 387 completions for 4,113 passing yards and 25 touchdowns with a passer rating of 95.2.

During the 2023 season, he completed 370 passes becoming the only quarterback in franchise history to start his career with three seasons of at least 300 completions and the second quarterback in team history to record at least 300 completions in three consecutive seasons. He has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times in his career, twice in 2022 (Week 3 and 12) and once in 2023 (Week 11).

In his career, Lawrence has also posted 205 rushing attempts for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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