The Jaguars will likely take two quarterbacks into the 2024 season on their active roster, as they have done in each of Doug Pederson’s two years as Jacksonville’s head coach.
But the Jaguars added a fourth quarterback to their roster Wednesday morning, officially signing E.J. Perry away from the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League ahead of Jacksonville’s Friday preseason finale at Atlanta.
Jaguars offensive coordinator pointed toward the groin injury backup quarterback C.J. Beathard suffered against Tampa Bay on Saturday as the reason for Perry’s return to Jacksonville for a third stint with the team.
“Part of that was just that C.J.’s health just moving forward to make sure as we go into this next game, just not limiting our ability to play this game out as we go,” Taylor explained Wednesday.
Beathard will be sidelined against the Falcons Friday, per Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Jacksonvlle’s starting offense are slated to play for about the entire first half, leading only one healthy passer for the second before Perry’s signing, Mac Jones.
Perry’s recent previous experience with the Jaguars — with whom he first joined as an undrafted free agent and spent his rookie season as a practice squad member in 2022, and returned to last December while Lawrence was in concussion protocol — should allow him to step into action if needed this week.
“E.J. is a guy we obviously have trust in and he’s been around us,” said Taylor. “He’s a guy that we can bring in at the very last minute and he is going to know 50 to 75 percent of the terminology from the jump.
“Guys are familiar with him, which I think that’s a part of it as well. Not everybody’s played with him, but a lot of guys have been here just through his time on and off the roster.”
In addition to his time with Jacksonville, Perry also spent offseason and preseason time with Houston last year.
Perry has yet to attempt a pass or appear in a game in the NFL, but has completed 67-of-112 attempts for 785 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions with Michigan in the UFL and USFL.
Over five years in college, two seasons with Boston College and three with Brown, Perry completed 63.5% of his 900 throws for 6,247 yards with 47 touchdowns and 27 interceptions, adding 16 scores on the ground.
“[E.J. is] a guy that we have confidence in as a coaching staff can help us through a game situation here,” Taylor concluded.