Trevor Lawrence shares thoughts on his first preseason performance vs. Browns

The day Trevor Lawrence has been waiting for since he picked up a football took place Saturday as he made his NFL debut for the Jacksonville Jaguars. And while it wasn’t a perfect debut due to taking two sacks and missing a few throws, Lawrence said he felt poised when taking snaps behind center.

“I feel like the first time out there, I felt comfortable, felt poised,” Lawrence said, according to ESPN. “Obviously, the first play’s not kind of what you want for the first play, but after that, I thought we did a good job. We communicated well up front. They did a really good job of protection. At least one of those sacks was on me, for sure, just holding the ball too long. That’s something I’ll work on. Just maneuvering in the pocket is something I’ve always got to work on.

“Other than that, I missed an easy one to Marvin, a little quick out I wish I would have hit. But other than that, I felt good out there. I think we were seeing it, all on the same page. There’s obviously things to clean up, but I thought it was a pretty good day.”

Despite not staying as upright as coaches and fans would’ve liked, Lawrence finished his night 6-of-9 for 71 yards. His highlight throw went to receiver Marvin Jones Jr. on a play where the offensive line gave him ample time to throw after the receivers couldn’t initially get open. However, understanding that it’s simply hard to be covered for more than four seconds, Jones broke free vertically, and Lawrence unloaded the ball almost perfectly.

Of course, some nervousness came with his debut, which the rookie quarterback also discussed after the game.

“The first play you’re a little bit, especially first game here in the NFL, you’re a little bit nervous; but after that, you’re just playing ball,” Lawrence said. “Definitely felt that [comfort] setting in.

“I usually typically get nervous before the first game of any season anyway, so that’s pretty standard. I was excited. I was ready to get out there. It’s been a long time coming. It’s been my dream.”

It was far from a perfect night even on Lawrence’s part, but there were a lot of positives for him and the team to build on. His poise, despite getting sacked twice, really showed as he converted two third-down plays (one of which was the aforementioned play to Jones) during two separate series.

Now, with his first game out of the way, Lawrence and the Jags will turn their attention to the New Orleans Saints, who have a great first-team defense to learn from. There is a lot to clean up on Lawrence and the team’s part, but that’s exactly what the preseason is for.