JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was back on the practice field Friday but still must clear the NFL's concussion protocol to play in Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Coach Doug Pederson said Friday morning that if Lawrence does not clear the protocol by the time the team leaves for Tampa on Saturday, he won't make the trip and backup quarterback C.J.
Beathard would make his first start since the final regular-season game in 2020 with San Francisco. «We'll give him as much as we can, as much as he can tolerate [at practice],» Pederson said.
Pederson also said that he thinks the chances of Lawrence clearing protocol and playing is better than a coin flip but that it will depend on how well Lawrence comes through Friday's workout. «Most guys, if you don't clear, usually by Friday, then you can't risk putting a guy on the field this close to game time.