Trevor Lawrence, the quarterback for the Jaguars, returned to the practice field on Friday, but he still needs to pass the NFL’s concussion protocol in order to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Lawrence won’t travel to Tampa if he doesn’t clear the protocol by the time the team departs on Saturday, according to coach Doug Pederson, who also stated on Friday morning that backup quarterback C.J. Beathard will start for the first time since San Francisco’s final regular-season game in 2020.
“We’ll give him as much as we can, as much as he can tolerate [at practice],” added Pederson.
Additionally, Pederson stated that while it will depend on how well Lawrence completes Friday’s practice, he believes the likelihood of Lawrence clearing protocol and playing is greater than a coin flip.
Most of the time, you can’t risk starting a player this close to kickoff if you don’t clear by Friday. That applies to every player, so ignore the position. However, he is headed in the right path, so maybe today will go well.”
It will be Lawrence’s first game missing since being selected first overall in 2021 if he doesn’t participate. With 48 straight starts, he is tied with Patrick Mahomes for the second-longest current quarterback streak.Josh Allen has made 85 straight starts on the field.
Pederson stated that Lawrence’s concussion happened during a scramble up the middle in the last five minutes of the Jaguars’ Sunday 23-7 loss to Baltimore. After that play, Lawrence did not leave the game, but he only completed one of his seven pass attempts. Lawrence self-reported his problems following the game, according to Pederson, and was added to the concussion protocol.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Lawrence did not have practice. Throughout the season, he has completed 65.9% of his throws for 3,525 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Lawrence has sustained three injuries so far in 2023. In Week 6, he suffered a sprained left knee late in the Jaguars’ victory over Indianapolis. Despite the injury, he continued to play and helped the team defeat the New Orleans Saints on a Thursday night four days later. Against Cincinnati on December 4, he sprained his high ankle, although he returned to action the following week at Cleveland.
Throughout his career, Beathard is 2-10 as a starter, all of which came with the 49ers. In more than two seasons with the Jaguars, he has participated in eight games as Lawrence’s backup.
Beathard stated earlier this week, “I think it helps just knowing the last several times I’ve been out there [as a starter] it did go well.” “Being that it was from 2020—that is, three years ago—was a little surreal. Three years ago doesn’t seem like it was yesterday. In the three years since then, I’ve learnt a lot, and it’s been beneficial. I hope to believe that even since then, I’ve learned a lot from watching from the sidelines and via practice.”
Beathard most recently played against Cincinnati on Dec. 4, completing 9 of 10 throws for 90 yards after entering the game following Lawrence’s fourth-quarter ankle injury.
Beathard has made 12 starts and completed 58.7% of his passes for 2,892 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has also been sacked 41 times and intercepted 12. In his career, he has completed 59.5% of his throws for 3,614 yards and 18 touchdowns with 14 interceptions and been sacked 49 times.
