Tag: cj beathard

Jaguars’ Mac Jones draws inspiration from Bucs QB as he turns the page

Jaguars’ Mac Jones draws inspiration from Bucs QB as he turns the page

As Mac Jones prepares for about one half of action against the Buccaneers on Saturday, the Jaguars’ quarterback has reflected on inspiration he’s drawn from a player who will be on Tampa Bay’s sideline.

While their career trajectories aren’t carbon copies of one another, Jones sees a bit of his story in that of Buccaneers starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, Cleveland’s 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick who was traded away before the expiration of his rookie contract.

“Baker’s journey is something that’s inspiring for me and a lot of quarterbacks,” Jones said Thursday.

“It’s not going to be perfect from the start to the finish. You might go up and down and then he kind of found his little home. Hopefully, that can be [an] inspiration for me and many others.”

Jones experienced a similar situation this offseason when New England, which took him at No. 15 overall in 2021, traded him to Jacksonville, his hometown team, for a sixth-round pick after benching him mid-game on four occasions last season.

The Patriots took quarterback prospect Joe Milton III with the selection they received for Jones this spring, after snagging quarterback Drake Maye No. 3 overall in the first round.

Mayfield was dealt to Carolina for a fifth-round pick in 2022 despite Cleveland having picked up his fifth-year option, after the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson and signed him to an unprecedented, fully guaranteed $230 million contract.

Watson has appeared in only 12 games in two seasons with the Browns and his deal is currently viewed as one of the most egregious in NFL history. Mayfield, meanwhile, has revitalized his career, not with the Panthers but with their NFC South rival Buccaneers.

Dec 24, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) runs for the first down against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Mayfield joined Tampa Bay after splitting the 2022 season between Carolina, which waived him after six starts, and Los Angeles, with whom he won two games starting in relief of the injured Matthew Stafford.

He took that job from one of his current backups, John Wolford.

Mayfield’s play with the Rams led him to the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback role, which was vacated by their Super Bowl LV-winning passer Tom Brady last offseason, on a one-year deal. Following his 4,044-yard, 28-touchdown 2023 campaign, Tampa Bay inked Mayfield a three-year, $100 million extension in March.

Jones caught up with Mayfield the season before the latter’s resurgence with the Buccaneers.

The former — then an heir to Brady in the town where he won his first six Super Bowls — faced struggles of his own around the time of their conversation. Jones began his 2022 campaign with five interceptions, two losses and an ankle sprain in three games following a rookie season that ended in a playoff appearance.

“I talked to [Mayfield] a little bit … two years ago when he was on the Panthers,” Jones recalled.

“I just enjoy watching quarterbacks’ journeys and everyone’s is different. I can definitely find motivation from that one. And maybe I’ll pick his brain a little bit more. But he’s a great quarterback he’s fighting back and has done a good job of that. And I think a lot of people can take note.”

Mayfield won’t play Saturday night when his Buccaneers meet the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium, with most if not all starters from both teams expected to sit after a pair of joint practices in Jacksonville this week.

But Jones will, amid his preseason position battle with three-year Jacksonville C.J. Beathard in their fight to become the Jaguars’ No. 2 signal-caller behind starter Trevor Lawrence.

The competition has been anything but contentious, though, per Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson. Jones and Beathard have echoed Pederson’s sentiment.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) and quarterback C.J. Beathard (3) play catch during a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
“Both those guys have really embraced the challenge. We’ve been upfront with both of them and explained exactly how camp was going to go and really both of them I think are within three or four reps of having a 50-50 split, right down the middle” Pederson said Thursday, calling the contest “really close.”

“It’s been good competition. C.J. has been a really positive influence on Mac, just learning the system too. That’s something you don’t see. When somebody’s challenging for your spot, and you see that other player coach him up a little bit, that’s encouraging and that’s positive. But both guys have done a great job.”

Whether one believes Mayfield was a “bust” in Cleveland or that the Browns did him wrong — he did lead the Browns to their first playoff appearance in nearly two decades in 2020 — he overcame all obstacles from that position: being traded, getting cut, becoming a third-string player and successfully supplanting the greatest passer ever in Tampa Bay on a prove-it pact.

As Jones turns the page, beginning a new chapter of his NFL career in Jacksonville with one season remaining on his rookie contract, he is channeling an energy with which Mayfield has long been associated: self-assured no matter the circumstances he faces.

“I’ve competed my whole life and I find great joy in competition,” said Jones. “I try to be myself. I’m not going to change because of one thing or another … I’m just looking forward to competing. It’s not all going to be perfect, but you’ve got to learn from it and continue to build momentum into the season.”

QB Mac Jones ‘competing,’ having fun with Jaguars

QB Mac Jones ‘competing,’ having fun with Jaguars

Home is where the heart is.

Although it might not have happened in the fashion he preferred, Mac Jones has enjoyed a homecoming this offseason, fitting in well with the Jaguars following his March trade from the Patriots.

Jacksonville offered Jones, a first-round selection by New England in 2021 who was effectively replaced by No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye this offseason, a fresh start to his NFL career, in his hometown.

Into the third phase of the offseason workout program, Jones has left a strong impression on those around him, including Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.

“He’s the ultimate pro. He’s done a great job since he’s been here, spending time studying the offense, getting caught up in the offense,” Pederson said Tuesday. “You can see why I liked him coming out of college, when [I was] looking at quarterbacks back then … [he] throws a really good ball.”

From the same draft class as Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars’ current starting quarterback and No. 1 pick that year, Jones had ascended to first-round status after starring at Bolles High School in Jacksonville and with Alabama in college.

He won a state championship with the former in 2016 and a national championship with the latter in 2021, starting at quarterback for both schools.

But sailing was not as smooth in New England, where Jones operated as the first heir to Patriots’ six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.

After a promising, Pro Bowl-alternate rookie campaign including an AFC Wild Card appearance, Jones went 8-17 as a starter between 2022-23, tossing for 5,117 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in that stretch. He was benched four separate times during the 2023 season.

Jacksonville sent New England a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft to give Jones a clean slate in his NFL career, lifting the expectations that followed his first-round selection and allowing him to function as a backup quarterback in a new system.

He’s adapted well and is enjoying the process, Pederson said, describing Jones as smart, eccentric and “a little quirky at times.”

“That’s the joy and the fun I think that he wanted to get back to a little bit, and he’s done a great job for us,” Pederson said.

“Change of scenery sometimes is good for players and coaches. For him to get back here around family, friends, has been good for him. I think he’s embraced it since he’s been here.”

Jones will battle three-year Jaguar and six-year pro, C.J. Beathard, for the second-team quarterback gig behind Lawrence this offseason. Beathard has appeared in 15 games in the role, completing 74.2% of his passes for 417 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

“We’re excited to have him,” Pederson said of Jones. “Gives us a great room with he and C.J. kind of competing in that role, and he’s done a nice job.”

Why the Jaguars waived preseason star Nathan Rourke

The Jaguars waived Nathan Rourke ahead of the 53-man roster cut deadline and opted to keep C.J. Beathard as the primary backup.

Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke’s play was one of the biggest highlights of Jacksonville’s preseason. However, he didn’t create enough buzz to stick on the 53-man roster.

While Rourke showcased his ability throughout the preseason, the No. 2 quarterback gig was C.J. Beathard’s to lose. After the Jaguars win against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 19, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Beathard was doing exactly what he was being asked to do, and wasn’t going anywhere.

“I like the way C.J. operates,” Pederson said. “I like the way his mental capacity is, the way he thinks, he sees the field extremely well, and he’s tough. You saw some of the athleticism today, the movement skills and stuff with him. He throws a really good football, and he played well today, he led us into a couple of field goal drives there. He does a nice job for us.”

Pederson believes in Beathard’s ability, but more important is his role with the team. Rourke is only 25, and his most recent football experience comes from the Canadian Football League. He looked promising in the preseason, but he has a lot of developing to do.

On the other hand, Beathard is 29-year-old, six-year NFL veteran going into his third year with the Jaguars.

With starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence still coming into his own, the ideal backup is a consistent veteran who can help coach Lawrence when he needs direction. The Jaguars have their young, talented quarterback. They just needed a consistent veteran backup, and Beathard is the guy for the job.

Rourke made a strong case for a place in the NFL, though. He started preseason with a highlight touchdown pass and kept the ball rolling as the season approached.

He completed nine of 17 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Rourke then connected on 10 of his 12 passes for 121 yards in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions.

Pederson praised Rourke for his accuracy, toughness, and willingness to tuck the ball and use his legs following Jacksonville’s win over the Lions.

“Those are all things that I appreciate about him and the effort and leadership that he provides,” Pederson said.

He saw the field less in the final preseason game and finished with four completions for 74 yards against the Miami Dolphins.

Rourke impressed Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor and the rest of the team, which forced conversations about the possibility of having three quarterbacks on the roster. Taylor described the situation as a “case-by-case and week-by-week basis.”

“There may be a situation where you keep that guy on the 53,” Taylor said. “But if you’re light in another position, and you need the bodies, and you’re healthy at quarterback, maybe that week you don’t have a third quarterback.”

Jaguars starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence recognized “the great Canadian” — as he called him — for his highlight touchdown and other eye-popping plays. Lawrence said Rourke is just as impressive in practice every day and earned the respect of Jaguars players.

“He’s had some great plays, and that’s what you got to do,” Lawrence said. “The guy is looking to stick in the league and get a spot.”

Rourke could be eligible to return to Jacksonville’s practice squad if he clears waivers.

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Jags QB group listed among ‘unproven’ tier of USA TODAY rankings

Mike Jones from USA TODAY included the Jaguars in the “unproven” section in his rankings of every quarterback situation in the NFL.

Jacksonville made a lot of moves this offseason with a new coaching staff in town led by Urban Meyer, but none of them were more important for the future of the franchise than the selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick. That move gives Jacksonville a potential franchise player at the position for the first time in nearly two decades.

But as good as Lawrence projects to be as a pro (he was considered a generational prospect pre-draft), he’s never actually taken a snap in an NFL game. For this reason, USA TODAY’s Mike Jones places the Jags in the “unproven” category in his rankings of teams’ quarterback situations. Other teams in that category are the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and New York Jets.

Here’s what Jones said about the Jags.

Everyone has known Lawrence would go first overall to Jacksonville for so long that the Jaguars’ selection felt anticlimactic. Urban Meyer plans for Lawrence to start Day 1. Long regarded as a potential generational talent, Lawrence has lofty expectations to live up to.

Though Lawrence is certainly expected to be starting by the end of the season and likely by Day 1, one thing Jones didn’t mention is the rest of Jacksonvilles’ quarterback group. It has a pretty nice duo behind Lawrence, as well, between Gardner Minshew, the starter for the last two years, and C.J. Beathard, a free-agent signing who has played well filling in for the injury-prone Jimmy Garoppolo.

It’s very likely Jacksonville will try to make a deal involving Minshew, but considering that didn’t happen before the draft, it’s becoming more likely that he will remain on the roster.

The Jags’ situation may be “unproven,” but they would probably take their depth chart over any of their contemporaries in the category.

Jaguars expected to sign QB C.J. Beathard

While quarterback Trevor Lawrence is still the anticipated first-overall pick for the Jaguars at the 2021 NFL Draft, experience will now be waiting for him in Jacksonville as well.

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While quarterback Trevor Lawrence is still the anticipated first-overall pick for the Jaguars at the 2021 NFL Draft, experience will now be waiting for him in Jacksonville as well.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Wednesday, the Jaguars are expected to sign former San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard. It’s said to be a one-year deal.

The 27-year-old was a third-round pick at the 2017 NFL draft but never lived up to that hype. His rookie contract came to an end after the 2020 season.

Beathard made 12 career starts in his career with the 49ers. He has a 2-10 overall record in those outings and completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 3,469 yards. He’s also thrown 18 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.

Beathard joins Gardner Minshew II and Jake Luton in the Jags’ current QB room. However, it was reported last week that Minshew could be traded.

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49ers looking harder at improving quarterback depth chart this offseason

Jimmy Garoppolo may be the 49ers’ starting quarterback next season, but they should still upgrade their depth chart.

The 49ers may not make any change at quarterback. At least, not with their starter. All signs after Week 17 point to Garoppolo starting under center to begin next season. Even if that winds up being the case, San Francisco still needs to address the elephant in their quarterback room.

With Garoppolo’s injury history – he’s missed 25 out of a potential 57 starts since his first starting opportunity for the Patriots in 2016 – the 49ers have to figure out a better contingency plan in the event he gets hurt.

Teams generally don’t plan on their starting quarterback going down, but San Francisco has too good a roster to let an injury to a quarterback that’s already missed so much time derail their season. Nick Mullens is not capable of keeping the team afloat for more than one or two games. The same could be said for CJ Beathard.

All three players arrived in Santa Clara in 2017, and they’ve been the trio of quarterbacks on the roster since 2018. There has been no serious competition for any of them either.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday told reporters in a video conference that this offseason would be different from the quarterback evaluation perspective.

“Yeah, we’ll look into it harder this year, but not for anything to make a big statement about or to tweet about,” Shanahan said. “Last year I was very happy with our starting quarterback. I was very happy and content with our second string. I was very happy and content with our third string. They were all under contract. We were good to go.”

Then Shanahan offered an insight into the club’s strategy in the 2020 draft. Their cupboard of picks was relatively bare, and they needed to make a couple of trades to eventually walk away with five selections. It sounds like in a more normal year where they entered the draft with seven or more picks, San Francisco might’ve drafted a quarterback for the second time in Shanahan’s tenure.

“Going into the offseason, it had seemed like we had about three draft picks,” Shanahan said of the 2020 draft process. “I think we had one in the first and then we didn’t have another one until like the fourth. So, it’s, ‘All right. We’re not even touching quarterbacks. We’re good with all three of ours. We don’t need to look much into that.'”

They wound up with two wide receivers, a tight end, and a lineman on each side of the ball.

There was a brief moment in the offseason where rumors swirled about free agent quarterback and Bay Area native Tom Brady wanting to play for his hometown club. After internal discussions, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch opted to stick with Garoppolo.

“Of course, when someone like the greatest player to ever play football is out there, you definitely look into that regardless,” Shanahan said of Brady’s free agency. “Besides that, we weren’t because of our situation.”

Then Shanahan discussed this offseason and the 49ers’ looming backup quarterback quandary. Last year it wasn’t as much of a concern because Garoppolo was coming off a 16-game season, Nick Mullens looked like a capable No. 2 quarterback and Beathard was a good third option.

Now the two reserves are set to hit free agency, forcing the 49ers to address the quarterback depth chart. Shanahan explained that while he was happy with Mullens and Beathard, the club will look harder at other options than they have in year’s past.

“This year, our backup and our third right now, one’s restricted and one’s unrestricted. So, you have to look into everything when you’re trying to fill out a quarterback roster,” Shanahan said. “We have a starting quarterback, but in order to know where these guys are going to be, we’ve got to get either re-sign the guys we’ve got or see if we can upgrade them through the draft or free agency. In order to do that, you have to evaluate everything, so you know how to stack them and stuff. So, definitely will be looking at a lot more of that stuff this year than we did last year.”

It’s hard to envision after the club’s struggles this year with backup quarterbacks starting in Garoppolo’s stead that the 49ers would opt for the same group. In fact, they may wind up searching for a substantial upgrade who may eventually unseat Garoppolo who’s contract runs out after the 2022 season.

The wheels are turning in San Francisco’s quarterback room for the first time in three years, and how they navigate those waters could have a ripple effect that defines the club’s long-term future under center.

 

The great, good, and bad performances from the SF 49ers 26-23 Week 17 loss

The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks 26-23 in their final game of the season. However, plenty had good performances.

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In their final game of the season, the San Francisco 49ers once again showed exactly why they deserved to be preseason favorites, but ultimately, why when the playoffs start next week, they will be back home watching. A team decimated by injuries has missed many of their most important players on each side of the ball for multiple games.

On Sunday, against the 11-4 Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers were without at least five starters on each side of the ball. Still, their defense played inspired and shutdown Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson for three quarters. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had a solid play-calling day, with open receivers throughout, but third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard failed to make the right reads on multiple occasions.

By the fourth quarter, Wilson would not be contained for much longer. Aided by a Beathard fumble, the Seahawks scored three touchdowns in the final quarter and ultimately finished on the better side of the 26-23 score. Football is not the sport for moral victories, but the 49ers played like they were as good as the NFC West champ even without some of their best players.

WATCH: 49ers QB C.J. Beathard hits WR Richie James for big play

Watch San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard hitting wide receiver Richie James on a deep pass against the Seattle Seahawks.

While the San Francisco 49ers offense played an impressive first half against the Seattle Seahawks, quarterback C.J. Beathard struggled to get anything going for the Niners’ offense.

However, on their final drive of the half, Beathard dropped back on a third-and-14 from the 49ers’ 17 and hit a streaking Richie James Jr. down the seam for a 45-yard pass. No one will mistake Beathard for the 49ers’ quarterback of the future, but it is still an exciting sight to see a Niners offense actually produce a deep ball.

They wound up settling for a field goal to end the series and make it a 6-3 game.

Standout performances from 49ers dominant 20-12 win over Cardinals

The San Francisco 49ers controlled the Arizona Cardinals all day en route to a 20-12 victory. Which performances stood out?

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After the Dallas Cowboys eliminated the San Francisco 49ers from postseason contention last week, the team had nothing in the standings to play for. With all the incentive in the world to mail it in for the final two games of the season, head coach Kyle Shanahan did everything in his power to stay competitive.

On Saturday, already depleted by injuries and a chance at the playoffs, the Niners showed why they were NFC favorites coming into the season. The Arizona Cardinals entered the contest in position for a playoff spot, however, after falling on their home field in a 20-12 loss, it’s now out of their hands.

WATCH: SF 49ers QB CJ Beathard hits FB Kyle Juszczyk for a touchdown

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk catches quarterback CJ Beathard’s second touchdown pass of the day against the Arizona Cardinals.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback CJ Beathard continued his solid performance on the day leading another touchdown drive to extend the Niners lead to 14-6. Beathard completed all four of his pass attempts for 47 yards on the drive, capping it off with a nine-yard touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. It was Juszczyk’s third touchdown reception of the season.