Jags’ Lawrence day-to-day as TNF game looms

Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff WriterOct 16, 2023, 02:08 PM ET
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Trevor Lawrence is day-to-day with a left knee injury but wouldn’t elaborate on the specifics of the injury or whether his starting quarterback could play in Thursday night’s game at the Saints.

Pederson said Lawrence’s knee is sore but feeling better Monday and that he could split first-team practice reps with backup quarterback C.J. Beathard this week, depending on how the knee responds.

Lawrence had an MRI on Monday, but Pederson said he didn’t know the specifics of what it showed or whether Lawrence had suffered any strained ligaments.

“You’d have to talk Ferg [vice president of player health and performance Jeff Ferguson],” Pederson said. “That’s out of my jurisdiction.”

A league source described Lawrence’s knee injury as a “sprain” that “is not a significant thing” to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.

Lawrence was hurt on a third-and-7 play from the Indianapolis 16-yard line with 3:10 remaining in the Jaguars’ 37-20 victory over the Colts at EverBank Stadium on Sunday. He faked a pitch to the right to Travis Etienne Jr. and rolled left and was chased down by Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam at the 33-yard line.

Lawrence immediately grabbed his left knee and stayed down for a moment. He walked off the field and went to the bench, where team physician Kevin Kaplan examined his knee. Lawrence got up and walked around after several minutes and remained on the sideline for the rest of the game, participated in postgame handshakes, and attended his postgame news conference without a wrap or brace on the knee. He appeared to have one on his left leg when he left the stadium Sunday evening, however.

The Jaguars (4-2) will have a walk-through Monday and will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before leaving for New Orleans. It’s possible that Beathard will get some first-team snaps, Pederson said.

“If Trevor’s sore,” Pederson said. “We’ve done this before. We did last year [when Lawrence suffered a toe injury against Detroit]. C.J. took the Wednesday reps and then Trevor took the rest of the week and was ready to play in the game.”

Lawrence has not missed a start in his career. Beathard hasn’t started a game since the final two weeks of the 2020 season while with the 49ers and has a 2-10 record as a starter. He signed with the Jaguars the following offseason and has appeared in eight games, completing 11-of-15 passes for 77 yards and one interception.

In addition to Lawrence, Pederson said right guard Brandon Scherff (ankle), left guard Walker Little (knee) and receiver Zay Jones (knee) are day-to-day, which means the Jaguars could be without four offensive starters on Thursday if they don’t play.

Pederson also said it’s likely that cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) will not play against the Saints (3-3). The Jaguars are 0-3 all time in the Caesars Superdome.