Jaguars place Lawrence on IR; QB also ‘expected’ to have shoulder surgery

This story was updated to add new information.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a concussion after he was hit late while sliding by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair in the first half of their Week 13 meeting.

The Jaguars announced Wednesday that they placed Lawrence on IR. Coach Doug Pederson had previously revealed that Lawrence wasn’t expected to practice Wednesday.

The fourth-year quarterback will now be rendered inactive for at least four games. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Lawrence’s season ‘is almost certainly over’ in the wake of his concussion.

Here’s what to know about Lawrence’s injury and how long it will sideline him.

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Trevor Lawrence injury update

Lawrence suffered a concussion on a 6-yard scramble in the Jaguars’ 23-20 loss to the Texans in Week 13. He was sliding to the ground when Al-Shaair came in over the top and made forcible contact to his head.

Lawrence appeared to be knocked out by the hit and went into the fencing position, a sign of a brain injury. A brawl ensued after the hit, and both Al-Shaair and Jaguars defensive back Jarrian Jones were ejected from the game. Al-Shaair also received a three-game suspension for the hit.

Meanwhile, Lawrence was carted off the field and did not return after being diagnosed with a concussion.

Lawrence posted an update to social media following the game, saying he was ‘home and feeling better.’

However, during his postgame news conference, Pederson didn’t commit to Lawrence playing again in 2024. He said the team would ‘make a smart choice’ about the 25-year-old and noted that ‘where we are as a team’ would play a role in Jacksonville’s decision about him.

Lawrence is also dealing with a ‘significant AC joint injury’ in his left, non-throwing shoulder, per Rapoport. He is ‘expected to have surgery’ to repair that injury, which will end his season.

That, plus the concussion, ultimately led the 2-10 Jaguars to place Lawrence on IR on Wednesday. He will have four full weeks to recover and likely much longer.

How long is Trevor Lawrence out?

Lawrence is out for the next four weeks at a minimum. That makes the Jaguars’ Week 18 game against the Indianapolis Colts the earliest potential return date for the former No. 1 pick.

However, given the report that Lawrence is planning to have surgery to repair his injured left shoulder in the coming weeks, his season appears to be definitively over.

The Jaguars are not playing for anything – save for the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft – for the duration of the season. As such, shelving Lawrence will allow the Jaguars to evaluate their quarterback depth while ensuring their top quarterback has extra time to get healthy and prepare for the 2025 NFL season.

Who is the Jaguars’ backup quarterback?

Jones has a career record of 18-26 as a starter and has completed 65.8% of his passes for 9,430 yards, 48 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, 14 selections after Lawrence, and will be a free agent after the season.

As such, Jones’ extended starting stretch will allow the Jaguars to evaluate whether they should retain the Jacksonville native as Lawrence’s backup or consider another option behind their $275 million man.

Jaguars QB depth chart

After the Lawrence injury, the Jaguars have three healthy quarterbacks on their roster: two on the 53-man roster and one on the practice squad.

Mac Jones
C.J. Beathard
John Wolford

Beathard was a third-round selection by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2017 NFL draft. The 31-year-old has a 3-10 record in 13 career starts while completing 60.4% of his passes for 3,886 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Wolford, 29, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets in 2018. He played in the AAF before landing a job with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. He is 2-2 in four starts and has completed 58.7% of his passes for 626 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.