NFL News: Jaguars make an intriguing roster move that involves Trevor Lawrence

With the 2023 NFL regular season near its end, the Jacksonville Jaguars want to secure the most wins possible to get the AFC South title. Unfortunately, they have made an intriguing roster move involving Trevor Lawrence that might not help with their objective.

The Jaguars have had a tough 2023 season. After 15 games, Jacksonville holds an 8-7 record, currently leading the AFC South but tied with the Texans and Colts, who could steal the division title in the last two games.

Fortunately, their upcoming matches don’t seem too challenging. However, there’s a possibility that they won’t be able to utilize Trevor Lawrence, as partially revealed by a surprising move they’ve made.

Jaguars sign a new quarterback to cover Trevor Lawrence

The Jaguars are two wins away from securing back-to-back titles in the AFC South. They have really improved recently, with Trevor Lawrence as their main star to guide them to success.

Unfortunately, this 2023 season has not been the best for the former Clemson player. He has not been able to stay healthy in the latest games, and it seems like he won’t be able to participate in the end of the regular campaign.

The Jaguars have signed veteran quarterback Matt Barkley off the Giants’ practice squad. In the depth chart, he’s currently listed as QB3 behind Lawrence and C.J. Beathard, but his arrival raises a lot of questions and uncertainty among fans.

Lawrence is currently listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Panthers. The young quarterback sustained a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, raising doubts about his availability for Week 17.

If Lawrence is unavailable to face Carolina, it’s anticipated that C.J. Beathard will start with Barkley as the backup. While this injury isn’t expected to sideline Lawrence for the playoffs, not having their starting quarterback could jeopardize their pursuit of winning the division.

“Trevor is progressing, obviously. He is a little bit sore, but doing better today than he did yesterday, and, you know, we will see where he is at again tomorrow,” HC Doug Pederson said Tuesday, via SI.com.

As mentioned earlier, the Jaguars’ final two games appear winnable even without Lawrence. They are set to face the Panthers and the Titans, making it crucial to secure two victories to clinch the AFC South title.

How many times have the Jaguars won the AFC South title?

In NFL history, the Jacksonville Jaguars have claimed the AFC South title twice. The initial victory occurred in 2017 when they concluded the season with a 10-7 record. Their journey led them to the AFC Championship, where they suffered a 20-24 defeat against the New England Patriots.

The second time came with Lawrence as the starting quarterback. Last season, the Jaguars ended with a 9-8 record but fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional round.