Not too long ago, football fans were wondering if Trevor Lawrence was a bust. Now, after a season with reputable coaching and a solid supporting cast, it's obvious that the Jacksonville Jaguars have a special quarterback on their hands. Doug Pederson is loving what he's seeing from his franchise quarterback, who could very well enter the MVP race this season.

The addition of Calvin Ridley gives Lawrence another big-play threat. Another luxury he has going for him is that he didn’t have to spend this offseason learning a new system and trying to recover from being coached by Urban Meyer. The Jaguars have Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Engram and Travis Etienne at Lawrence's disposal in the offense and are looking to bolster their offensive line.

Lawrence entering the MVP conversation is not a crazy notion. He's one of the best passers in the game and has a talented roster around him. Also, aided by a lack of strong opposition in the AFC South, the Jaguars could have a very good record. But above all else, Lawrence could be an MVP because, by all accounts, his mindset is firmly in that position to make the leap.

Pederson has seen a lot of growth from Lawrence over the last year, particularly in his confidence, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.

“The biggest thing that I've seen with Trevor from where we had him a year ago in the offseason to today, just his confidence is incredible,” Pederson said, via ESPN. “It's off the charts. He's put the past behind him, he's focused on the future and really embraced this opportunity with this football team.”

Last season, Lawrence ranked ninth in passing yards with 4,113, tied for eighth in passing touchdowns with 25 and ranked 13th in completion percentage with 66.3 percent. He finished seventh in 2022 MVP voting. If his statistical output takes another leap, which should happen given all his advantages, Lawrence could become the first Jaguars player to win the award.

The competition at MVP will be stiff, as always, with superstars like Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen ready to go, not to mention non-quarterback superstars like Justin Jefferson. This season could be the one that Trevor Lawrence becomes an MVP candidate for years to come.