Fresh start. New faces. Same dreams. That’s the vibe in Duval. Trevor Lawrence sounds like a guy finally breathing easy. “Feel really good. I’m starting to feel a lot more comfortable in the system… Guys are playing faster. Feel like I’m seeing it faster,” he shared after camp. With a new head coach in town and Liam Cohen running the show, the Jaguars look ready to turn the page. But before the fairytale begins, they’re walking straight into the fortress of one of the NFL’s most disciplined minds—Mike Tomlin.

But here’s the twist—Tomlin’s not even putting his main guys on the field. The City of Steel will sit out 20 players, including big names like Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith, and Jalen Ramsey. But while Pittsburgh plays it safe, the Jaguars are rolling full throttle. Lawrence is starting. Rookie sensation Travis Hunter is there, too. It’s a first impression—and those matter.

On that note, local analyst Brent Martineau didn’t sugarcoat it. In his eyes, the Jaguars just haven’t looked physically up to par with the league’s elite. “This is a team that just has not been on the same level overall from a physical standpoint it looks like,” he pointed out. And that’s exactly why the Steelers matchup matters. Brent thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to see where the Jags stand. Adding to that, there’s something brewing in the Jaguars’ locker room.

Behind the scenes, guys like Tony Boselli, Liam Cohen, and the coaching staff seem eager to see whether all that offseason grind pays off. The iron-sharpen-iron program, the weight room sessions — this game might just offer a quick glimpse into whether it was all worth it. And by the looks of it, the players aren’t backing down. They actually want this!

That energy? Co-analyst Austen Lane felt it too. He believes this game means more than your average warm-up. Even though it’s technically preseason Jags locker room is treating it like a regular season matchup—mostly because it’s the Steelers. Lane also pointed out that regardless of the result, the Jaguars are bound to learn something. Either they match the Steelers’ physicality and boost their confidence, or they get humbled—and finally understand where they stand in the league. But one thing is clear: the harsh reality check will be handed to Lawrence’s team.

So in the end, it’s all about testing Trevor Lawrence and Liam Cohen under fire. And while the Steelers’ defense might present the harshest of reality checks, Cohen might just have a technique up his sleeve—one that could surprise Tomlin.

Liam Coen wants Baker Mayfield in Lawrence?

So far, the Jaguars’ offensive script looks nothing like the one fans in Duval got used to. That’s because Liam Coen isn’t copying Doug Pederson’s playbook—he’s rewriting it. And that rewrite starts with footwork, mobility, and next-level improvisation. “So much of what worked for us last year with Baker was his running ability, making plays,” Coen said at training camp. “Our defense doesn’t give you the No. 1 read open all the time, so he needs to work on it.” That’s a sharp pivot from the clean-cut looks Trevor Lawrence often saw in Pederson’s system.

Naturally, when you’re trying to rewire your quarterback, you reference the one who nailed it last. That’s Baker Mayfield, who cooked defenses in 2024 with a 106.8 passer rating and 378 rushing yards. Not to mention, he’s led the league with 69 combined passing touchdowns over the last two seasons. But Coen’s not asking Lawrence to be Mayfield. He’s trying to bring what worked in Tampa to an even more gifted arm. “What succeeded in Tampa is being reconfigured for an arguably more talented arm in Lawrence,” and to Coen, the real ceiling isn’t physical—it’s mental.

That’s why the QB room in Jacksonville has turned into a lab. “We’re working the heck out of progression drills,” Coen said. “And also, hey, man, like, let’s get used to using your legs as a weapon a little bit too. Like, you can run.” That scramble-and-sling style helped Mayfield keep Tampa alive, even with 16 picks on the season (as happened in 2024). Right now, that same improvisation gene is what Lawrence is still learning.

Meanwhile, Coen’s got another toy to play with—Travis Hunter. The rookie is already flashing on both ends of the field. But Coen’s early read on the offensive side says plenty. So if Hunter finds his rhythm and Lawrence embraces this Baker-like urgency, the Jaguars’ new vision might just hit the jackpot.