Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence has high ankle sprain, no structural damage

The Jacksonville Jaguars received relatively good news on Trevor Lawrence‘s ankle injury following their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night.

Lawrence has “just” a high right ankle sprain and his tests came back clean otherwise, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters Tuesday. Pederson didn’t rule Lawrence out for Sunday’s game against the Browns.

The star quarterback went down in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s 34-31 overtime loss to Cincinnati. Left tackle Walker Little stepped on Lawrence’s ankle on a third-down play, causing it to twist as he was sacked. Lawrence tried to get up before immediately dropping to the ground and ripping off his helmet in disgust. He was helped off the field and escorted into the tunnel for X-rays, which were negative. He left the locker room in a walking boot and on crutches.

Additionally, Jags wide receiver Christian Kirk suffered a core muscle injury Monday and is expected to “miss some time,” Pederson said. Kirk suffered the injury on the Jaguars’ first play from scrimmage when he made a 26-yard reception. He has 57 receptions for 787 yards and three touchdowns in his second season in Jacksonville.

As for Lawrence, his injury ended what was otherwise a stellar night for him. He completed 22 of 29 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score.

“It sucks for Trevor,” backup quarterback C.J. Beathard said. “It takes the breath away from the guys on the sideline to see him hurting.”

Beathard said Lawrence was “in good spirits” in the locker room after the game and added “obviously he’s sore right now.”

Beathard completed 9 of 10 passes for 63 yards in relief of Lawrence. Beathard put the Jaguars in position for Brandon McManus‘ 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in regulation. But he couldn’t do much after the Jaguars won the toss and took the ball to start the extra frame.

Beathard appeared to complete a long pass to Calvin Ridley on third down that would have put the Jaguars near the goal line, but it was negated by a holding penalty on rookie right tackle Anton Harrison. Jacksonville ended up punting, and the Bengals quickly moved into field-goal range. Evan McPherson‘s 48-yarder ended the game and sent the Jaguars into wait-and-see mode on Lawrence’s availability for Sunday at Cleveland.

Lawrence injured his other leg against Indianapolis in mid-October. He has played with a brace on his left knee since. Lawrence has never missed a game in his three-year NFL career.

The betting markets, however, are not expecting a healthy Lawrence on the sideline, as the Jaguars quickly went from being a 3-point favorite at Cleveland in Week 14 to a 1.5-point underdog early Tuesday morning. The markets were not impressed with Trevor’s updated diagnosis either, as Jacksonville lengthened to a solid 3-point underdog at most sportsbooks by early Tuesday evening.

For his part, Coach Pederson is optimistic regardless of who is available to drop back.

“We’ve got 100 percent confidence in C.J. going forward,” Pederson said. “I don’t think we have to change up a whole lot.”

Beathard last started a game in Week 16 of the 2020 season with San Francisco. He is 2-10 as an NFL starter.

“This is my seventh season in the NFL,” Beathard said. “It’s not like I’m a young guy going in there.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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