Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said last week that the competition for the backup quarterback job is “really close,” but an injury may wind up tipping the scales.
C.J. Beathard injured his groin during Saturday’s game and head coach Doug Pederson said at a Monday press conference that the quarterback will not play in Atlanta this week as a result. Beathard is competing for the No. 2 position with Mac Jones, who started on Saturday and returned to the game after Beathard got hurt.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk will remain out with the calf injury he’s been dealing with over the last week.
Jones is listed as the backup on the team’s unofficial depth chart and brings three years of starting experience with him from his time with the Patriots. Beathard has been with the Jags since 2021 and made one start last season when Trevor Lawrence was injured.
Lawrence and the team’s starters are expected to play about a half against the Falcons and Jones will get the rest of the game to finish making his case for the backup role.