The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially decided on quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s status for Week 17.
The Jaguars officially ruled Lawrence out for their game against the Carolina Panthers due to a right shoulder injury. Backup CJ Beathard will get the start for Jacksonville in what amounts to a must-win game for their playoff chances.
The #Jaguars have ruled QB Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) out for Sunday vs. the #Panthers. CJ Beathard starts.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 29, 2023
Up until now, Lawrence had never missed a start in his NFL career dating back to his 2021 debut. There were some signals that he would be able to battle through this latest issue too, but ultimately, his right shoulder did not respond during the week as he or the team hoped it would.
Lawrence left each of the last three Jaguars games early due to injuries, all of them different. He performed poorly in a surprise loss to the Buccaneers last Sunday, going just 17/29 for 211 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
The 8-7 Jaguars remain tied atop the AFC South, and will be in need of a win over Carolina to avoid seriously damaging their playoff hopes further. That responsibility will fall to Beathard, who has 12 career starts to his name.
