Mac Jones in line to start first game as Jaguars QB this week

Almost a year after his last start, Mac Jones is in line to returning to an NFL starting lineup this week. The former New England Patriots quarterback is the next man up in case the Jacksonville Jaguars ' Trevor Lawrence will indeed be kept out on Sunday due to a shoulder injury.

According to a report by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Lawrence is considered "unlikely" to be cleared to play against the Minnesota Vikings . The next man up, of course, would be Jones.

The 15th overall selection by the Patriots in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jones showed considerable promise early on in his rookie career. However, he appeared to hit a wall late that season and ultimately failed to develop into a franchise-caliber QB in New England.

After losing his starting job last November, the team's new regime led by Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo — who both were part of the organization when it drafted Jones in the first place — decided to part ways. Jones was traded to Jacksonville for a 2024 sixth-round pick. He has so far appeared in two games for the club, going 6-for-9 as a passer for 28 yards.