Trevor Lawrence’s preseason routine may be changing, but his approach isn’t.
As the Jaguars head into their first week of joint practices with the New Orleans Saints, there’s a real chance Lawrence doesn’t take a snap in the preseason at all. That would be a shift from last year, when he and Jacksonville’s starting offense played in the first two preseason games before sitting out the finale after one joint practice with the Miami Dolphins.
This week, though, the bulk of Lawrence’s work is expected to come on the practice field, not under the Saturday lights against New Orleans. And Lawrence doesn’t sound interested in making that a bigger deal than it is.
“Not really. It's never something I focus on too much. Obviously, if you do play, you want to play well, so you put everything into it so you can go out there and play good, clean football," Lawrence said after Sunday's practice.
"And it's good practice for us, but to me, it's just taking it one day at a time. Like we got practice still on Tuesday here, and then we're going to go do joint practice and just trying to treat all those like game reps and get all these valuable reps that are good opportunities for us to learn and grow.
And then when the game comes, if I play, then I'll go and do my best there too. But I try not to focus on it too much.
It's not something that takes up too much space in my brain.”
That mindset fits the Jaguars’ bigger plan. Lawrence has taken preseason reps every other year of his career, but Jacksonville is changing course this summer in an effort to steer clear of serious preseason injuries. The tradeoff is obvious: fewer live game reps for the quarterback, but still a chance for the offense to sharpen itself in a different setting.
And that’s where the Saints come in.
Lawrence should still get the bulk of the work when the two teams meet for joint practice later this week, giving Jacksonville a chance to measure its offense and passing game against a defense it doesn’t see every day in camp. It won’t feel like a preseason game, but it should offer a real test - especially with the way the Jaguars’ own defense has been attacking them.
“Our defense honestly has given us some really good looks. They've added some stuff since last year that they're playing coverage a little bit differently, and then they're showing some things and then they're bluffing out. And so, they're challenging us, which is really good for us," Lawrence said.
In Other News...
Jaguars Camp Is Starting To Reveal A Very Different Offensive Plan
Two weeks and nine practices into camp, the Jaguars are starting to show what their offense might actually look like once the games count. Parker Washington has been the most noticeable receiver so far, and the early reads from camp suggest he is moving toward a bigger role than many expected. The running back mix also looks far less rigid than a traditional pecking order, with Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and LeQuint Allen all in line to share work.
Travis Hunter is adding another layer to the picture by practicing extensively at both wide receiver and cornerback, which makes Jacksonvilles personnel usage even more interesting to track. The setup points to an offense that may lean on flexibility and matchup-driven usage more than fixed roles, especially in passing situations and on early downs. For a team still sorting out who will be where when the season opens, camp has already made one thing clear: the Jaguars are not building this group in a conventional way. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Give Grant Udinski A Bigger Stage In Preseason Opener
Grant Udinski is getting a meaningful early test in Jacksonville, and it comes before the games start counting. The Jaguars offensive coordinator will handle full play-calling duties in the preseason opener against the Saints on Aug. 15, giving him a bigger stage as he continues to settle into a larger role with the team. He has already done it once, having called plays in Jacksonvilles final preseason game last season, but this opportunity arrives with a little more attention attached after a busy offseason that included head coaching interviews.
The timing makes it even more interesting for the Jaguars, who will also spend Aug. 13 in a joint practice with New Orleans before the exhibition game. Those two days should offer a cleaner look at how the offense functions with Udinski directing things from the sideline and how much of the system is ready for live reps. For a coordinator who had chances to leave but opted to stay in Jacksonville, the first preseason game is more than routine work. It is a chance to show what the Jaguars can expect when the offense is put in his hands. [Read more 🡒]