Mac Jones makes Jaguars earn dubious spot in latest NFL quarterback ranking

The Jacksonville Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence a five-year deal worth $275 million in the offseason because they think he's the long-term answer behind center. So far, they haven't gotten enough bang for the buck. While he hasn't been dreadful, he's been inconsistent.

To make matters worse, the former Clemson Tiger is currently dealing with a shoulder sprain and could miss extended playing time. And because they've gotten subpar play from the quarterback position, the Jags earned a low spot in a recent quarterback ranking.

Alex Ballentine did a ranking of all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL and placed Jacksonville at No. 31, pointing out that Mac Jones played poorly in relief of Lawrence in Week 10.

"Speaking of quarterbacks who are just filling in time until a franchise QB returns, Mac Jones got his first start as a Jacksonville Jaguar last Sunday. As it turns out, all those impressive preseason performances didn't translate to regular-season action. He threw two picks and averaged just 1.5 adjusted yards per attempt."

For context, Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury in the Week 9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media later reported that the fourth-year quarterback was unlikely to play in Week 10 and was weighing his options. That led to speculation about him potentially getting surgery.

Rapoport quickly squashed the rumors. However, there's been chatter ever since about Lawrence getting a procedure done on his shoulder and shutting down for the year. Heading into Week 10, Dianna Russini of The Athletic broke the news that the injury was a sprain, and No. 16 could miss extended playing time.

Lawrence dealt with a myriad of ailments in the second half of the 2023 season, and the offense suffered a massive dip in production. Looking to have insurance at quarterback, the Jags traded for Jones in exchange for a sixth-round pick earlier this year.

Jones struggled in his last two years with the New England Patriots but made a strong impression in the offseason, completing 73.1 percent of his throws for 421 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. That must've led the team's brass to believe that the offense would be in good hands in case Lawrence missed time. It wasn't the case against the Vikings.

Other quarterbacks who popped up in the same tier as Jones, "Help Wanted", were either fringe starters or backups: Jameis Winston (Cleveland), Cooper Rush (Cowboys), Gardner Minshew (Raiders), and Daniel Jones (Giants).

It's fair to assume that if Lawrence were healthy, the Jaguars might've gotten a higher spot in Ballentine's ranking.

The Jaguars sure hope Mac Jones bounces back vs. the Lions

Regardless of how much time Trevor Lawrence misses, Mac Jones will start at quarterback for the Jaguars, which isn't great news if he plays like he did against the Minnesota Vikings. The former Alabama product was 14-of-22 for 115 yards with no touchdowns and two picks. Outside of the second offensive drive — one that led to the Jaguars' only touchdown of the game — he looked overwhelmed.

Even more frustrating is that the defense had their best performance of the season, preventing Minnesota from scoring a touchdown and registering three interceptions. But despite the help Jones and the offense got, they couldn't get the job done.

Jones said after the game that he'll bounce back, and head coach Doug Pederson said that the Jacksonville native is looking for the opportunity to rebound. He'll get it against the Detroit Lions. The trouble is that the Jaguars will be facing the eighth-best defense in the NFL when it comes to points allowed.

It will be a daunting task, but if Jones can also engineer an upset, his stock will experience a massive surge and the Jaguars will move up a few spots in Bleacher Report's ranking.

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