Jaguars make the right call by shutting down Trevor Lawrence for 2024

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a slim chance of playing against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 after suffering a concussion the game prior. The Jacksonville Jaguars are taking the right approach and are shutting him down for the next four weeks.

The Jags announced Wednesday that they're placing Lawrence on the Injured Reserve list. This means he'll miss at least four games before he can return. When you take into account that he would be eligible to return to the final at the earliest, his season is virtually over.

Hours before the announcement, head coach Doug Pederson told the local media that the fourth-year quarterback was still in concussion protocol and would miss practice Wednesday, but other than that, he refused to elaborate on his health or potential availability. Based on the timeline of the events, it's possible that the team was already planning on placing Lawrence on IR.

Now, Lawrence will have the chance to fully heal. Aside from the concussion he suffered after getting knocked out by linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, he was recovering from a shoulder sprain he suffered back in Week 9. The former Clemson Tiger had missed two games but the Bye gave him extra time to recover. Even though he's still dealing with the injury and played through pain, he suited up against Houston.

Looking back, Lawrence shouldn't have played in Week 13. That said, he's not the kind of player that he would leave his teammates behind, so he deserves props for playing through injuries. But now that he'll be out for the foreseeable future, he could opt to get surgery on his non-throwing shoulder and get ready for next year.

And that's the thing, not long after the Knoxville, Tennessee got hurt, the possibility of him getting surgery to repair his shoulder surfaced. While Ian Rapoport of NFL Media and Doug Pederson shut down the speculation, Lawrence himself said recently that he wouldn't rule out the idea of getting a procedure done before the year. Now that he's on Injured Reserve, he can get it.

The Jaguars can let Trevor Lawrence recover and focus on 2025

Having placed Trevor Lawrence on Injured Reserve, the Jacksonville Jaguars have one less thing to worry about. Add the fact that they have been eliminated from playoff contention, and they have taken a massive burden of their shoulders.

Granted, speculation about Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke will continue, but owner Shad Khan can take care of that a the appropriate time. Whether that's in the upcoming weeks or once the season is over, it will be up to him to decide. But the team will no longer have to worry about the weight of expectations. If the coaching staff keeps them focused, they could finish the season strong.

Sure, there won't be much at stake, but players still need to show up. After all, the team's brass will be watching who continues to put in the work and who's tuned out. This will be especially crucial for players set to hit the open market. For instance, Mac Jones will be starting in relief of Lawrence. He's set to become a free agent, and if he makes a strong impression, he could be a hot commodity.

The bottom line is that it's never pleasant to see a player get hurt and end up on Injured Reserve, but shutting Trevor Lawrence down is the best course of action. While he gets to rest, the Jacksonville Jaguars can start to focus on the future.

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