Jaguars Head Coach Confirms Trevor Lawrence Injury Status vs Vikings

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Nov 8, 2024

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars vs Minnesota Vikings — Credit: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend no matter who their quarterback is. But earlier this week, we found out their QB is unlikely to be 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, who is dealing with an injury in his non-throwing shoulder.

Doug Pederson confirms: Trevor Lawrence unlikely to play vs Minnesota Vikings

If Lawrence can’t go, it will be fellow 2021 1st round pick who will take his place, former Pats QB Mac Jones. On Friday, Jags head coach Doug Peterson confirmed that Trevor Lawrence is unlikely to play vs the Vikings on Sunday, in Jacksonville.

Doug Pederson on Trevor Lawrence "It is trending in a way that is leaning toward not playing."
— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) November 8, 2024

How much will this hurt the Jaguars offense? Well, that’s complicated question. It wasn’t that long ago, Lawrence was considered the biggest no-miss QB prospect since Andrew Luck. Then, in his 2nd season (2022) under Urban Meyer, Trevor made a Pro Bowl, throwing for 4,113 yards (66.3 Comp %) and 25 touchdowns, to just 8 interceptions.

Lawrence regressing under Pederson?

Since Pederson took the job in 2023, Lawrence’s numbers have fallen. The yardage is still there. He threw for 4,000 yards in 2023 and he’s on pace for exactly 4,000 yards again in 2024. But last year, his touchdowns fell to 21 and his interceptions jumped to 14.

Season	Age	G	GS	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	Int	Y/A	Y/C	Y/G	Rate	QBR	Sk	GWD	Awards
2021	22	17	17	3-14	359	602	59.6	3641	12	17	6.0	10.1	214.2	71.9	39.1	32	2
2022	23	17	17	9-8	387	584	66.3	4113	25	8	7.0	10.6	241.9	95.2	56.1	27	2	PB \| AP MVP-7
2023	24	16	16	8-8	370	564	65.6	4016	21	14	7.1	10.9	251.0	88.5	56.1	35	2
2024	25	9	9	2-7	168	274	61.3	2004	11	6	7.3	11.9	222.7	87.9	61.1	18	1
4 Yrs		59	59	22-37	1284	2024	63.4	13774	69	45	6.8	10.7	233.5	85.4		112	7

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/8/2024

This season, the former Clemson superstar has thrown 11 touchdowns (on pace for 22) and 6 interceptions (on pace for 12). In other words, he does not appear to be progressing anymore, and now there are rumors surrounding how bought in Trevor Lawrence is to Doug Pederson’s future in Jacksonville.

As of now, Lawrence’s 2022 season under Urban Meyer, who was run out of Jacksonville for not caring enough about football, is the best season of the 25-year-old QB’s career. The guy brought in to make him great has clearly failed. So… what does that mean for Sunday vs the Minnesota Vikings?

Doug Pederson and Press Taylor were brought in to make Trevor Lawrence into a franchise quarterback and to get this offense to where we all believe they need to go… And they have completely failed in that task so far here in 2024… No other way to say it
— Hacker (@RyanGreen1010XL) November 3, 2024

Vikings vs Jacksonville Jaguars led by Mac Jones

It means Brian Flores & Co are preparing to face Jags backup Mac Jones, who was taken 14 picks after Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft. He last started a game in week 12 of the 2023 season, when he went 12-of-21 for 89 yards, 0 Touchdowns and 2 interceptions for the New England Patriots vs the New York Giants. In his last three NFL starts, Jones has thrown 4 interceptions and just 1 touchdown.

In his career, Mac Jones has thrown for 8,946 yards, 46 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. He’s seen the field during two games in 2024. In those appearances, he is 6-of-9 (66.7%) for 28 yards, 0 TD and 0 INT. On Sunday vs the Vikings, Doug Pederson will lean on Jones to prove the Jags have a Trevor Lawrence problem, not a coaching problem. Unfortunately for Doug… he’s probably wrong.