Tag: C.J. Beathard

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence entering concussion protocol

Trevor Lawrence will need to be cleared by an independent neurological consultant if he hopes to avoid missing his first game.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is entering the league’s concussion protocol, head coach Doug Pederson said after a 23-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Lawrence, 24, ran the ball often in the final minutes of the game and collided with defenders on a few plays. He finished the loss with 264 passing yards and a touchdown, as well as 41 rushing yards. He also struggled with accuracy for much of the night and fumbled twice.

The Jaguars’ third-year quarterback has never missed a game in his NFL career and played through a knee sprain and a high ankle sprain earlier this season.

Players in the NFL’s concussion protocol must follow a five-step process before being cleared to fully practice or participate in a game. Lawrence won’t be allowed to rejoin the Jaguars fully until he’s been cleared by an independent neurological consultant.

C.J. Beathard is the Jaguars’ backup quarterback, but has never started a game with the team.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

11 Jaguars players limited, none sit out Thursday practice

The Jaguars had everyone on the practice field Thursday, although 11 were limited.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had full attendance at their Thursday practice with defensive backs Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco back on the field after sitting out Wednesday.

It wasn’t exactly a healthy day of work for the team ahead of a Week 15 game against the Baltimore Ravens, though. Jacksonville listed 11 players as limited, including Campbell and Cisco.

During a Week 14 loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Jaguars were without Folorunso Fatukasi, Tre Herndon, Walker Little, and Brenton Strange. All four of those players are still limited in practice, but appear well on track to return to the field sooner rather than later.

Quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Beathard again appeared on the injury report, but both were full participants.

Like Wednesday, the Ravens had an exceedingly brief injury report with only one player limited Thursday.

Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton was wearing a brace on his injured left knee in practice and told reporters Wednesday that his status for Week 15 is still “up in the air.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Beathard both limited in Thursday practice

Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Beathard were both limited in practice Thursday.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Beathard were both officially listed as limited Thursday on the team’s injury report.

Lawrence didn’t do much during the media viewing portion of practice, skipping most drills and only lightly throwing. Beathard, who has said his shoulder injury is nothing serious, did much more than the team’s third-year starter.

The only difference from the Jaguars’ injury report on Wednesday was the return of Lawrence as well as Christian Braswell’s inclusion in his first practice since landing on the injured reserve in October.

The Browns again had a lengthy injury report, although the team had multiple players make positive progress.

Browns star defensive lineman Myles Garrett didn’t practice Wednesday as he continues to deal with a shoulder that he felt pop in Week 12. He played through the injury last week, but finished a game without a tackle for the first time in his career. On Thursday, he practiced fully.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

C.J. Beathard: I want Trevor Lawrence to be healthy, play well

C.J. Beathard may get an opportunity to start Sunday, but he isn’t rooting for it.

In three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, backup quarterback C.J. Beathard has hardly seen the field. But for the first time since the 2020 season, back when he was still a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Beathard may finally make another NFL start.

Trevor Lawrence is hopeful he’ll recover from his ankle injury in time to play against the Cleveland Browns. It looks like an uphill climb, though.

That could mean an opportunity for Beathard to show what he can do Sunday. Yet, the Jaguars’ backup quarterback is pulling for Lawrence to make a speedy recovery and get back on the field sooner rather than later.

“He’s a friend first and that’s my biggest interest with him,” Beathard said after practice Wednesday. “I’m just gonna prepare as if I’m [playing], just like I do each and every other week, and if the opportunity comes, I’ll be ready to go. And if it doesn’t, I won’t bat an eye about it. I want him to be healthy, I want him to play and play well.

“I just gotta stay level-headed throughout the week and prepare as if I am gonna play. But at the end of the day, if I don’t, that means he’s healthy enough to play and that’s good for our team.”

Beathard, 30, threw just 13 passes in his first two seasons with the Jaguars, but the team valued the veteran’s presence enough to re-sign him to another two-year deal earlier this year. On Monday, he was called into action with the Jaguars down 31-28 with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The backup quarterback led the Jaguars into field goal range for a game-tying kick, but couldn’t do it again in overtime. Still, he completed nine of his 10 passes on the night for 63 yards.

It may take a similarly efficient performance to get anything going against a scary Browns defense Sunday. But no matter how unlikely a Lawrence return looks, Beathard isn’t convinced he’ll be the one under center.

“With Trevor, his routine of recovery and getting his body back right when he’s injured is second to none,” Beathard said. “It’s a credit to the training staff and strength staff, they do a great job at getting him ready to go. He’s definitely never counted out, I don’t care how bad it looks, or how hurt he really is, he’s a tough dude.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

QB C.J. Beathard also hampered by injury as Browns vs. Jaguars nears

Trevor Lawrence is not the only quarterback injured in Jacksonville…

As they prepare for the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars are already dealing with suboptimal news at the quarterback position. Starting quarterback and former first overall pick Trevor Lawrence exited Monday Night’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals with a high ankle sprain. And now it appears their backup C.J. Beathard did not leave the loss unscathed either.

With Lawrence not practicing on Wednesday, facing an uphill battle to take the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, backup Beathard was also limited in practice with a shoulder injury. Jaguars Wire managing editor Adam Stites writes, however, “there is no concern about his availability.”

If needed, the Jaguars have former Ohio Bobcats’ quarterback and Canadian Football League standout Nathan Rourke on their practice squad. They have signed him to their active roster once this season already as they worked through questionable statuses at the quarterback position and may have to turn to that well once again.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=646863720]

5 Jaguars players to watch vs. the Browns in Week 14

Who will you be watching closely when the injury-riddled Jaguars take on the Browns?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a disappointing overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. Now, they’ll have the chance to rebound versus a floundering Cleveland Browns team.

The Browns have taken a step back since quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending injury. And backups Joe Flacco and Dorian Thompson-Robinson haven’t been enough to keep Cleveland on a winning track.

While the Jaguars’ loss to the Bengals didn’t uproot their season, starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s injury threatened to do so. Jacksonville will need to prepare for the possibility that Lawrence will miss a game for the first time of his career.

Here are five Jaguars players to watch when they take on the Browns in Week 14:

Jaguars list 12 players on lengthy Wednesday injury report

The Jaguars suddenly have a lengthy injury report after a rough Monday night.

A Jacksonville Jaguars team that has been fortunate to avoid injuries for nearly two whole seasons is suddenly facing an avalanche of them heading into Week 14.

On Wednesday, the Jaguars listed 12 players on their first injury report before a road game against the Cleveland Browns.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered what looked like a gruesome ankle injury Monday night, but said Wednesday that he’s feeling “a lot better” and he’s “trying to progress towards hopefully playing” against the Browns.

Backup quarterback C.J. Beathard is also on the injury report, but said that there’s no concern about his availability Sunday.

While Jacksonville has a lengthy report, the Browns’ was even longer Wednesday with 16 players listed.

Three of the Browns’ players who didn’t practice were “not injury related” rest days and offensive lineman Geron Christian practiced in full, but that still leaves another 12 who were out or limited. That group included receiver Amari Cooper who was out due to a concussion and ribs injury.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

C.J. Beathard: ‘At the end of the day, this is my 7th year in the NFL’

This isn’t C.J. Beathard’s first rodeo.

Trevor Lawrence has never missed a game in his NFL career. Until Monday night, he’d only ever sat out a few mostly meaningless snaps due to injury.

Now, for the first time since before they drafted Lawrence first overall in 2021, the Jacksonville Jaguars are facing the likely scenario that it’ll be someone else under center when they hit the field Sunday.

Amidst a lot of hand-wringing and consternation about the possibility of the Jaguars being without Lawrence, backup quarterback C.J. Beathard offered a reminder: this isn’t his first rodeo.

“At the end of the day, this is my seventh year in the NFL,” Beathard said Monday night after he was thrust into action. “It’s not like I’m a young guy going in there. I’ve been in the situation before, started some games here and there. Yeah, I was ready to go.”

Beathard, 30, was picked in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. In four seasons with the team, Beathard made 12 starts and threw 18 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. In his final year with the team, he had five touchdowns and no interceptions across two starts.

Now in his third season with the Jaguars, Beathard has made just 27 pass attempts with the team, 10 of which happened Monday.

“[We have] every ounce of confidence in the world,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said of Beathard after the game. “The way he stepped up and didn’t blink. He was himself, calm in the huddle, got us in the right spots, throws down the field.”

If the Jaguars are forced to turn to Beathard in Week 14, it’ll be a tall task for the long-time backup. He’ll face the Cleveland Browns, a team that has allowed the fewest passing yards, the fewest first downs, and fewest total yards in the NFL.

“He’s a veteran player,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “He’s played a lot of football. If he happens to be the guy, then we get behind him and support him.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Anton Harrison on costly holding: ‘Got to put myself in better position’

Anton Harrison took responsibility for the penalty that nullified the play that could’ve won the game for the Jaguars.

It looked for a second like C.J. Beathard saved the day Monday night. Facing a third down in overtime around midfield, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ backup quarterback rolled to his right and heaved a ball downfield to Calvin Ridley who hauled in a 43-yard grab on the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2-yard line.

The crowd went wild … until they saw the yellow flag near the line of scrimmage. A holding penalty on rookie right tackle Anton Harrison nullified the play and led to a punt two plays later.

On ESPN2’s ManningCast, former NFL quarterback Eli Manning argued that the Bengals’ Sam Hubbard “flopped” to draw the flag, while ex-Bengals receiver Chad Johnson defended the call.

Harrison said his opinion of the penalty doesn’t matter, though.

“The refs are gonna do their job, I’m not gonna agree with everything,” Harrison said in the locker room after the Jaguars’ 34-31 loss. “I just got to try to put myself in a better position. That’s really it. I got to put myself in a better position to make that block.”

Harrison has done well to avoid penalties during his rookie season. The costly holding penalty was the fifth flag thrown on the first-round pick this season and the third for holding. Veterans Walker Little and Brandon Scherff have drawn six and five, respectively.

The right tackle that Harrison replaced, Jawann Taylor, has drawn a league-high 16 flags in his first season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Jaguars express ‘100 percent confidence’ in C.J. Beathard

The Jaguars say they’ll be OK if C.J. Beathard has to be the team’s starter after Trevor Lawrence’s injury.

The Jacksonville Jaguars offered no official update on quarterback Trevor Lawrence after a 34-31 loss Monday night. While initial reports indicated the third-year passer sprained his ankle, an MRI on Tuesday will determine the severity.

In the mean time, it seems that it’ll be up to backup C.J. Beathard to keep the Jaguars in playoff contention.

“We got 100 percent confidence in C.J.,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said after the game. “He did a nice job getting us down the field there, tying the football game. Should have been the game-winning field goal, but it wasn’t. Got a lot of confidence in C.J. He’s a veteran player. He’s played a lot of football. If he happens to be the guy, then we get behind him and support him.”

After taking over late in the fourth quarter, Beathard finished Monday with nine completions on 10 pass attempts for 63 yards. He fumbled once, but the Jaguars were able to get the ball back, and Beathard connected on a 43-yard pass to Calvin Ridley in overtime that was nullified by a holding penalty.

“C.J. came in and fought his ass off and put us in position to win,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said. “[He] made a great throw at the end—unfortunate call. Yeah but, obviously [Lawrence] is our leader, but next man up mentality is the nature of the beast.

“[We have] every ounce of confidence in the world [in Beathard]. The way he stepped up and didn’t blink. He was himself, calm in the huddle, got us in the right spots, throws down the field. Now, we’ll have a week of preparation.”

“We play C.J. all the time in practice, so we know he’s a very capable quarterback,” Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun added. “We’re just trying to find a way to win. Obviously, our prayers went out for Trevor, but we were trying to find a way to win that game.”

Beathard, 30, began his career with the San Francisco 49ers where he started 12 games over his first four NFL seasons. He threw 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in San Francisco and posted a 2-10 record as a starter.

Since signing with the Jaguars in 2021, Beathard hasn’t made a start and had 17 pass attempts in three seasons prior to Monday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]