The Jacksonville Jaguars had a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, but what would happen if they had to start from scratch at the position? The Bleacher Report staff came up with an interesting answer in a recent NFL Draft do-over, one where they poach a signal-caller from a division foe.
B/R did an NFL Draft in which teams must build a roster from the ground up and had the Jags taking C.J. Stroud with the third overall pick. For context, clubs could pick any player from any of the past five drafts. On top of that, they could retain one veteran player with a franchise tag.
Jacksonville kept pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen as their designated franchise player. Here's the skinny.
"On one hand, Jacksonville could simply keep quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was selected first overall in 2021, made the Pro Bowl in 2022, and received a second contract in 2024," Gary Davenport of B/R said. "On the other hand, the Jags could opt for a signal-caller they believed more likely to be a true "franchise" quarterback."
Davenport continued, "The choice stood behind door No. 2, as Jacksonville snagged C.J. Stroud away from the rival Houston Texans."
"Taking a signal-caller was an easy decision for Jaguars GM Jimmy Happyrock—either an NFL team has a quarterback or they don't," Davenport said, "Stroud backslid a little in 2024 relative to his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2023, but he's a 23-year-old franchise quarterback with 43 career touchdown passes against just 17 interceptions."
Funny enough, B/R had Lawrence sliding to * checks notes * the Houston Texans, pointing out that he's closer to "being a franchise guy than a lot of other quarterbacks" in the NFL right now.
All things considered, Stroud wouldn't be a bad pickup. He took the league by storm as a rookie, completing 63.9 percent of his throws for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. It's not hyperbole to say that he's a big reason Houston has won the division in back-to-back seasons. That said, the former Ohio State is coming off a somewhat disappointing year.
To his defense, Stroud played behind a porous offensive line and former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik wasn't able to adjust, which is why he got the boot. The expectation is that Nick Caley will help the third-year quarterback bounce back.
The Jaguars wouldn't change Trevor Lawrence for CJ Stroud if given the chance
Make no mistake. C.J. Stroud is a franchise building block, and teams in need of quarterback help wouldn't hesitate to draft him or trade for him, if given the chance. Having said that, it's hard to see the Jacksonville Jaguars choosing him over Trevor Lawrence. As Gary Davenport points out, the difference between the two isn't much right now, so why would they give up the devil they know?
Sure, Lawrence is coming off an underwhelming season and has struggled to stay healthy the past two years. However, he's played well enough to make you think that he can take the Jags to the promised land. Can he be better? You bet, but that has to do with his availability or lack thereof.
The fact that the former Clemson Tiger has missed time has prevented him from fully hitting his stride. Sure, his supporting cast has been less than ideal in past years, but the front office made enough changes in the offseason to correct that. On top of that, head coach Liam Coen should help untap his potential. Simply put, the Jaguars did their part. Lawrence must do his, and if he does, he'll once again be discussed as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
The bottom line is that Trevor Lawrence is a "true" franchise quarterback, and he'll have the chance to prove it in 2025.
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