What Does Trevor Lawrence Think About the Jaguars' Preseason Plan at Play-Caller?

With Press Taylor calling plays from the sidelines instead of the booth, does quarterback Trevor Lawrence have a preference?

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) looks to throw during the ninth day of an NFL football training camp practice Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Today marked the first day of public practice inside the stadium. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

For the first time since Doug Pederson was hired in 2022, offensive coordinator Press Taylor is set to call plays from the sideline when the Jaguars open their preseason against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The debate between whether Pederson or Taylor will call plays in Week 1 is far from being over, but Pederson announced this week that Taylor would call plays vs. the Chiefs, and he will do so with a new perspective.

"With him in preseason, Press is going to try it on the field. I know that. I told him he'll like it. He'll like it down there," Pederson said.

“Well, one is you get to feel the game. Two, you're with the players. And three, you get to make the corrections right now, communication-wise. You feel connected to the football game a little bit more. I've been in, early my career, I was in the box as well, and you're kind of removed, and it's a little more challenging up there.”

This will give the Jaguars a chance to experiment with Taylor's communication with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, since Taylor called plays from the booth in 2022 and 2023. But how does the franchise quarterback feel about the change?

“I mean, to be honest, I don’t really care that much where he’s at. I think it cuts down some of the communication time. I guess that would be accurate," Lawrence said. "But either way, I can get on the headset quick or I can tell Mike [McCoy] if I’m thinking of something to tell him. So, that communication has always been good. Doesn’t change much.

"It’ll be cool to see him down there and interact with him. I think it’ll be good for him to get a feel for just the team. Some games are just different. The feel at the beginning, you feel as players and coaches on the field, but I’m sure it’s different from the press box or the coaches' booth. I’ve never been up there, so I don’t know. I would assume it’s different. You’re kind of detached from the energy and the atmosphere of the sidelines. So, we’ll see how that changes things if it does at all. I don’t really know. It doesn’t change what I have to do, so I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest.”

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