Doug Pederson’s desperate search for answers after the Jaguars’ pitiful 0-3 start could include what would be a jaw-dropping quarterback change.
Jacksonville’s head coach didn’t rule out benching Trevor Lawrence after the team was crushed 47-10 by the Bills Monday night.
“There has to be changes, whether it’s play design, personnel, everything,” Pederson said after the Jaguars’ loss, per ESPN. “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.”
Pressed on whether he’d switch up his starters, including Lawrence, Pederson replied, “You say everything is on the table, we’ve got to take a look at injury. 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.”
Lawrence losing his QB1 job would be stunning given the Jaguars just gave him a five-year, $275 million contract extension with $200 million guaranteed three months ago.
Their backup is Mac Jones, the former Patriots first-round pick whom they acquired in a trade during the offseason. He went 5-for-8 with 22 yards and a lost fumble in mop-up duty on Monday.
In three games this season, Lawrence is 47-for-89 with 560 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
After being taken No. 1 overall in 2021 and enduring the Urban Meyer mess that year, Lawrence led the Jaguars to the playoffs in 2022 in Pederson’s first year at the helm, and they completed a wild comeback to defeat the Chargers in the wild-card round before falling short against the Chiefs in the divisional round.
The Jaguars then got off to an 8-3 start last year before collapsing to finish with the same 9-8 record they had the year before.
The answers won’t be simple, as the offense has been unproductive and the defense got torched for 34 points in Monday’s first half.
“That’s the NFL: The quarterback has to play well every week to give yourself a shot to win, and I don’t feel like I’ve done that consistently enough, so I put that on myself, and I’ve got to play better,” Lawrence said.
Seven years after leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl, Pederson could be feeling the heat in Jacksonville.
“This is who we are right now and it’s not very good,” he said. “We have to be honest with ourselves and I’ve got to be honest with myself and just keep plugging away.
