Why Jaguars must bench Trevor Lawrence for Mac Jones after Eagles loss

Trevor Lawrence is the franchise. The Jacksonville Jaguars took him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and they gave Lawrence a five-year, $275 million contract extension before the season. The Jaguars are all-in on Lawrence, which is precisely why they need to bench him after their latest loss, a 28-23 disappointment against the Philadelphia Eagles.

It has not been the season that was anticipated in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are 2-7, fourth in the AFC South, and there's a real thought that head coach Doug Peterson isn't going to get a fourth season to try to turn this thing around. It has been a disappointment, for sure, especially when considering the fact that the Jaguars were 9-8 in his first two seasons, with year one seeing them make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Lawrence has been a disappointment, too. A Pro Bowler in that 2022 season, he was thought of as among the rising stars of the NFL. He wasn't yet at the Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen level, but he was seen to be on that next plane and on his way up. After throwing for 4,016 and 21 touchdowns (14 interceptions) last season, he's thrown for 2,004 and 11 touchdowns, but with six interceptions, so far in 2024.

He's also now injured, with an injury to his left shoulder suffered against the Eagles.

Lawrence wants to play, and he's saying all the right things. He was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, but he wants to play on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

"That's the goal," Lawrence said when asked about playing against the Vikings, according to AL.com. "I've been doing everything I can to be out there. Like when I've gotten banged up in the past, I try to do everything I can during the week to prepare myself to play on Sunday and just put as much time as possible into that and to get healthy, so that's the way my mind is right now."