Trevor Lawrence reacts to being ranked as sixth-tier AFC QB

Trevor Lawrence responded to a low ranking of him by saying that games aren't played on paper. (Photo: Justin Lewis / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Thu May 04 09:20:47 GMT-04:00 2023

It's list season, and NFL Network pundit Kyle Brandt ranked the top quarterbacks in the AFC this week -- and he assessed Trevor Lawrence as a sixth-tier player currently within the conference.

Lawrence issued a short but to-the-point reaction Thursday morning.

"The game ain’t played on paper," Lawrence said.

The third-year pro sounds motivated.

Why did Brandt put him there?

"Lawrence was the most popular response on Twitter. 'How could you rank him so low?' I love him," Brandt said. "Like most of us do, I feel like last year was his rookie year because the year before they had Urban Meyer as head coach, a disaster. Wins a playoff game despite playing terribly in the first half. Then makes the comeback. It's complicated."

The ranking had Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes in a tier by himself, then Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) and Josh Allen (Buffalo) next; Aaron Rodgers (NYJ), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Justin Herbert (LAC) in the third tier; Russell Wilson (Denver) and Deshaun Watson (Cleveland) in the fourth tier; and Jimmy Garoppolo in the fifth tier (Oakland). Lawrence was rated in the same tier with Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh), Mac Jones (New England) and Tua Tagovailoa (Miami).

Under new coach Doug Pederson last season, the former No. 1 overall pick Lawrence improved from a 59.6 completion rate to 65.5%, 3,641 passing yards to 4,618, 12 TDs to 17 INTs to 30 TDs to 13 INTs and two rushing TDs to five rushing TDs from his rookie season to 2022.

He graded 11th overall and sixth in the AFC (78.6) by Pro Football Focus' measure. In his return from suspension, Watson rated 35th (55.3), while Wilson was 29th (66.2), Mac Jones was 24th (67.5), Garoppolo was 22nd (71.4), Pickett was 18th (75.5), Rodgers was 14th (77.5) and Herbert was 12th (77.9). Tagovailoa was the lone player within a couple ranked tiers of Lawrence to outperform him in PFF grades (8th; 81.9).

PFT and NBC analyst Chris Simms said Lawrence could be a top-5 QB in the NFL this season.

"To me, it got towards the end of the year (in 2022) where it's just 'Oh, all right, hey, you're Trevor Lawrence,'" Simms said earlier this year. "Make some of the plays you talked about, you're capable of doing that and more. Maybe a little sloppy with the ball still at times at the end of the year, forcing balls in, just going 'Oh, I think I can make this throw.'"

"We saw that not only in the Chargers game but in the Chiefs game as well, where there were some mistakes but nothing major. It's refining, it's just like, hey, can you take over more in the fourth quarter? Can you make 45 decisions in a row that are perfect instead of 43 out of 45? Can you do that?

"That's where we're getting with Trevor Lawrence, and the way it looked at the end of the year. He's top five-ish, if not No. 5. He's right around there for the way he played at the end of the year and showed the capability of a guy (that goes) 'Get on my back guys. Don't worry, I got us.' He's got a little of that going and that team believes in him."