Ever since Jacksonville secured the first-overall pick back in December, it was assumed that Trevor Lawrence would be the starting quarterback this fall. Though the rookie is well on his way after some impressive moments at minicamp despite recovering from shoulder surgery, it appears he hasn’t done enough to lock up the job, at least at this point.
According to ESPN’s Mike DiRocco, passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer wouldn’t give a definitive answer when asked if there’s been a decision made.
“It’s still too early to say how this thing’s going to play out,” Schottenheimer said on Wednesday.
While there’s certainly some smoke and mirrors going on here, it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Lawrence will be ready to start Week 1. It’s not like the Jaguars necessarily need him to be, either.
He’s clearly the future, but the Jags still have a quarterback on the roster who’s thrown for 37 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in two years in Gardner Minshew II. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Minshew wants to win the starting job in camp this fall. He’s a clear trade option for Jacksonville, but if no deal materializes and Lawrence isn’t ready for the opener against Houston, the cupboard is nowhere near bare.
Still, it would be at least a minor upset if Lawrence doesn’t start Week 1. Though he’s dealing with lingering issues from the surgery, it seems he’s getting closer and closer to 100% each day. He should be fully healthy by the fall, and it would likely take a herculean effort from Minshew to unseat him as the presumed starter, assuming he’s still on the roster at that point.