The upcoming quarterback carousel gained an unexpected boost Thursday with the sudden emergence of a report suggesting that the Pittsburgh Steelers have reached out to the Jacksonville Jaguars about the potential availability of quarterback Trevor Lawrence in a trade.
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In response, the Jaguars weighed in with an anonymously sourced statement that did not fully dismiss the possibility of a Lawrence trade but strongly downplayed it.
According to Michael DiRocco, who covers the Jaguars for ESPN.com, a source close to the team said, "Regarding the recent report that the Steelers have inquired about a trade for Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, a Jaguars source said there's 'no chance' they'll trade Lawrence and called the idea 'ridiculous.'"
While the Jaguars' response is more forceful than the typical "no intention to trade" language, which is often followed by a trade, it is not a definitive statement. The team could still consider a deal if an offer too good to pass up were to materialize.
In the NFL, there are a few players deemed untouchable in trade talks, such as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. However, Lawrence does not fall into that category. Though it's understandable that the Jaguars would want to publicly downplay the notion of trading Lawrence, there is no harm in listening to offers.
It's important to note that the original report about the Steelers' inquiry came from a source within the Jaguars, not the Steelers, suggesting that someone in Jacksonville may be testing the waters for what a potential trade could bring.
A few years ago, Lawrence was on the verge of becoming a top-five quarterback in the league, but his stock has since dropped in comparison to other elite signal-callers. With a new head coach and a new general manager in place, the direction of the team and Lawrence's future are now uncertain.
Questions arise as to whether new head coach Liam Coen is a staunch believer in Lawrence or if the team would be open to moving him in favor of a fresh start.
If the latter is the case, it would be unwise to openly state such intentions. In order to maximize the return in a potential trade, and avoid upsetting Lawrence if no deal materializes, the team needs to remain noncommittal and coy about its plans. The idea of there being "no chance" of a trade allows the Jaguars to gauge interest from other teams while keeping their options open.
This doesn't mean Lawrence will be traded, nor does the ESPN report guarantee he won't be. Rather, it's a predictable, semi-public step in a behind-the-scenes process that could continue until the right offer emerges.
