Through three seasons, Lawrence has missed just one of a potential 51 starts. His lone missed game came last year, when he dealt with a cavalcade of ailments throughout a trying 9-8 season in which the Jags failed to defend their AFC South crown, fell short of the playoffs and collapsed to the tune of losing five of their last six games.
“You just have to use it, so that’s what I plan to do from last season,” said Lawrence, who threw for 4,016 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2023. “I think our approach as a team, too, it’s a waste if you don’t use it. You went through that experience and then you don’t use it, it’s double bad because it sucked going through it and you didn’t get better from it. I think that’s our mindset, that’s my mindset moving forward and so many things to learn from.”
One massive bright spot from last season for the Jags was the play of Allen, who set a new team record with 17.5 sacks, to go along with 66 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 33 QB hits. It added up to a lucrative five-year, $150 million contract.
Though unfocused on his impending payday, Lawrence was plenty pleased his teammate got his.
“Super excited, obviously one, the season he had, but just the guy that he’s been,” Lawrence said of Allen. “He was here two years before I got here and in the three years I’ve been here, he’s just consistent. One of the hardest workers on the team, dependable. As a person in the locker room, he’s the right type of guy you want. It checks all the boxes that you want as a leader on your team and obviously a great player, too. I was just excited to get him back because there’s a lot of teams that would’ve loved to have Josh Allen on their team. I’m excited we got that done and he’s going to be a Jag for a long time. I think that was a big box checked for us and I’m excited that he’s here.”
Lawrence plans to be there in Duval for the long haul, as well.
Never one to cause a stir with his words, Lawrence isn’t clamoring for a new deal here and now, but he’s also not dealing in falsehoods, either. He wants his due at some point.
“I can’t lie, obviously it would be nice to have that done and feel good about it, but no, it’s not really the focus right now,” Lawrence said. “I know where we’re at, I know where we’re heading and I know what I have to do. I know there’s some improvements that I have to move going forward.”