Trevor Lawrence will miss the first game of his NFL career.
The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled the quarterback out of Sunday’s contest against the Carolina Panthers due to a shoulder injury suffered in Week 16.
Lawrence missed practice all week.
Backup C.J. Beathard is in line to make his first start since Week 17, 2020, while with the San Francisco 49ers.
Lawrence has played through several injuries this season, including a high ankle sprain in Week 13, and entered concussion protocol after Week 15. The former No. 1 overall pick managed to suit up each time, but the latest ding will knock him out.
Lawrence has struggled of late while playing through injury. In Weeks 14-16, he’s completed 57.4 percent of his passes, with a 6.0 yards per attempt average, five TDs, 5 INTs, and a 71.5 passer rating.
As Lawrence misfired, the Jaguars faltered, losing four straight games.
Beathard comes in to try to right the ship. The veteran has replaced Lawrence in two games in the past four weeks. In the losses, he went 20 of 25 passing for 157 yards with a touchdown pass. For his career, the 30-year-old quarterback compiled a 2-10 record with San Francisco.
With Beathard in the lineup, the Jags must get the running game going after struggling of late, rushing for fewer than 90 yards in each of their last five contests. During Jacksonville’s four-game losing streak, Travis Etienne is averaging 30.8 rush yards per game.
Despite the four-game swoon, the Jags remain in first place in the AFC South, holding the head-to-head tiebreakers over Houston and Indianapolis. With wins over the Panthers and Titans to close the campaign, Jacksonville locks up the division for the second straight season.
