Trevor Lawrence hasn’t won a start since Nov. 26. And if Lawrence starts this week when the Jaguars (0-3) return to Houston (2-1) to meet the Texans on Sunday, it’ll be 308 days since that last win.
And, yes, if he starts, not when.
“There has to be changes, whether it’s play-design, personnel, everything,” head coach Doug Pederson said following his team’s eighth loss in nine games at Buffalo on Monday night. “Everything’s on the table, let’s call it. And those are all things that I have to look at, we have to look at as a staff and make the adjustments.”
While Pederson did not rule out benching Lawrence in light of the move by Jacksonville’s expansion cousin last week, Lawrence is no longer playing on his rookie contract. But he clearly has to improve on protecting the ball. Since the Jaguars selected him No. 1 overall in the 2021 draft, he now leads the NFL with 61 turnovers, one more than his counterpart in Monday’s 47-10 loss, Josh Allen (60).
On Monday, with just over four minutes before half, Lawrence’s pass intended for Brian Thomas sailed into the arms of Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin. Five plays later, the Bills took a 26-3 lead.
Obviously, Lawrence wasn’t directly responsible for Buffalo scoring touchdowns on all five first-half possessions. Regardless, this isn’t what owner Shad Khan had in mind for the future of his franchise. And Jacksonville’s backup quarterback situation doesn’t immediately appear as good as Carolina’s insurance policy.
Pederson said everything is on the table as the Jaguars prepare to return to NRG Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
“We’ve got to take a look at injury,” Pederson added. “Tonight, we had some guys injured. Could be moved that way, could be performance. It’s all things we have to evaluate as we move forward.”