Quarterback is the most important position on the football field and his backup is the second most important. After all, the No. 2 signal-caller on the depth chart is always one injury away from taking snaps under center and teams that have a good one won’t panic in case the starter goes down. Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson knows this first hand, having won Super Bowl 52 for the Philadelphia Eagles with backup Nick Foles at the helm after Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending injury.
The Jags have a starting quarterback in Trevor Lawrence but C.J. Beathard, their primary backup at the position, was carted off the field during practice Monday and it’s uncertain how long he will be out. Right now, Jake Luton and undrafted free agent E.J. Perry are the other quarterbacks on the roster, and if Beathard has to miss an extended period of time, the team’s brass might need to add another passer in the upcoming days.
The quarterback market isn’t particularly thrilling but here are three free agents the Jags could sign to bolster their depth at the position.
No. 3 free agent QB the Jaguars can sign – AJ McCarron
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted A.J. McCarron in 2014 with the intention of grooming him into a starting quarterback. However, the Alabama product never developed into more than a backup and has already suited up for four different clubs in his NFL career.
McCarron signed with the Atlanta Falcons to back up Matt Ryan last offseason after a two-year stint with the Houston Texans. But he suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss the whole 2021 campaign and is currently unsigned.
Since 2014, McCarron has appeared in 17 games with four starts and has completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 1,173 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Those are some pretty unremarkable numbers but acceptable coming from a backup quarterback, which is the role the Jaguars would sign him for.
No. 2 free agent QB the Jaguars can sign – Mike Glennon
Jaguars fans are well acquainted with Mike Glennon. The North Carolina State product signed with Jacksonville in 2020 and ended up starting five games in relief of an ineffective Jake Luton. It’s true that Glennon went on to lose the five games that he appeared in but that was a pretty bad season for the Jags, one everybody surely wants to forget.
A third-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2013 NFL Draft, Glennon had an adequate rookie campaign, going 247-of-416 for 2,608 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. However, the Bucs drafted Jameis Winston with the top draft pick the following year and Glennon was relegated to a backup role. He signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Chicago Bears in 2017 but was released the following year. Since then, he’s spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, the Las Vegas (then Oakland) Raiders, the Jaguars (duh!) and most recently, the New York Giants.
Glennon is currently a free agent and it’s not hard to guess why. He is a journeyman at this stage of his career, and won’t earn serious consideration for a starting role. However, he could be a decent backup if he pressed into the football field.
It’s true that Glennon compiled a losing record in Jacksonville but nothing went well for the Jags in his sole season with them. With a better supporting cast this time around, and an experienced coaching staff in place, he could perform well enough if necessary.
No. 1 free agent QB the Jaguars can sign – Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick has been one of the most polarizing NFL players in recent years and when it comes to his political stance, there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground among fans. However, this column about his beliefs but rather about his ability to play quarterback.
It’s true that Kaepernick hasn’t played an NFL game since 2016 but the Jaguars’ coaching staff could bring him up to speed. He’s played the game his entire life, so it would be more about getting used to the speed to process information on the football field once again. The former quarterback is still in great shape and training, awaiting for the opportunity to sign with a team.
Just recently, Kaep worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders and although no deal is imminent, it went well. Keep in mind that the Jaguars would be signing him as a backup, a role he would gladly take. It’s uncertain if he would be a fit in Doug Pederson’s system but the head coach has worked with all kind of quarterbacks, so the Jags could make it work out.
Kaepernick took the league by the storm the year the San Francisco 49ers made it to the Super Bowl 47 but wasn’t able to recreate his success in later years for a myriad of reasons. Still, he might be a viable option as QB2 in Jacksonville. One factor that could help him sign with the Jaguars is that general manager Trent Baalke drafted him when he held the same position for the Niners. Is it a long shot? Probably, but no option should be tossed out just yet, especially if Beathard’s groin injury turns out to be serious.