In the unforgiving world of the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars are facing yet another setback. Trevor Lawrence, the team’s marquee quarterback, is poised to miss the upcoming Sunday clash with the Minnesota Vikings due to a left shoulder injury, as per a report first spotted on News4Jax. The initial disclosures, earlier removed from NFL.com, signaled a probable absence, with the Jaguars yet to formally confirm Lawrence's status. At only 25, his shoulder issue dredges up concerns about his future availability for a Jaguars campaign that's already treading on thin ice.
With Lawrence potentially sidelined, Mac Jones is set to take the initiative in his home state. Jones, another first-round selection from the 2021 draft, was recruited by the Jaguars in an offseason trade with the Patriots, according to First Coast News. Despite Jacksonville's dreary record of 2-7 and the playoffs slipping swiftly out of the realm of possibility, Jones' upcoming start against a formidable 6-2 Vikings team is a stark reminder of the team's need to reassess and recalibrate their strategy sans their star quarterback.
Amidst this period of uncertainty, the conversation swirls around potentially benching Lawrence for the remainder of the season. Considering the substantial investment encapsulated in his five-year, $275 million extension, and with playoff aspirations nearly quashed, the option to protect Lawrence by sidelining him gains traction. "The smartest thing Trevor Lawrence can do is shut it down and wait for Ben Johnson," offered CBS Sports Senior NFL Columnist Pete Prisco in a statement obtained by Sports Illustrated. "The offense and staff has impacted that kid in a big way. Shut it down," Prisco added, underlining the potential shift in tactical thinking within the Jaguars' think tank.
While Lawrence himself expressed a strong desire to return to the field, saying, "I am doing everything I can to be out there," quoted from an interview by Sports Illustrated, the looming Week 12 bye might offer a necessary reprieve for decision-making on his season's fate.