Mac Jones earns top-notch praise after impressive preseason showing for the Jaguars

The quarterback is the most important position on the football field. His backup is the second most important one. Fortunately for the Jacksonville Jaguars, they don't have to worry about either because they have Trevor Lawrence in the fold and Mac Jones is ready to fill in for him if called upon. Ideally, the latter won't play a single snap in 2024. But he showed in the preseason that if he does, the offense will be in good hands.

In fact, Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports thinks Jones is one of the biggest winners of cutdown day following his impressive outing in the preseason. Here's the skinny.

"While Jones is no longer situated as a starting quarterback in the NFL like he was a season ago in New England, the former first-round pick was a winner this summer after he beat out C.J. Beathard for the backup job in Jacksonville behind Trevor Lawrence. Jones was sturdy this preseason, completing 73% of his passes for 421 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions in three preseason contests. Again, he's not vying for a starting job at the moment, but he has proven he can be a capable backup if Lawrence were to miss time. "

As Sullivan noted, Jones was competing with veteran C.J. Beathard for the backup job behind Lawrence. Then again, it wasn't really a battle. The Jaguars traded for the Alabama product because they wanted to bolster the depth at quarterback.

Barring a massive meltdown in training camp or the preseason, Jones was projected to win the job. He certainly showed he was capable of playing at a high level, completing 73.1 percent of his passes for 421 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. That alone would've been enough for the 2021 first-round pick to come out top. However, Beathard suffered a groin injury that will sideline him for several weeks. That sealed the deal.

Now, Jones will have the chance to rebuild his stock after it took a massive hit the past two years. Back in his rookie campaign, he made the Pro Bowl and led the New England Patriots to the playoffs. All things considered, the Jacksonville native seemed like a star on the rise. But then, he had to endure a series of questionable coaching decisions that hampered his development and hurt his confidence.

Two underwhelming seasons and several benchings later, Jones was seen as damaged goods. Having seen enough of him, the Pats traded him to Jacksonville for a measly sixth-round pick, showing that his value was at an all-time low.

The Jaguars feel great about Mac Jones being the backup behind Trevor Lawrence

The Jaguars are pleased with what they've seen from Mac Jones and feel great about him the backup behind Trevor Lawrence going into the regular season.

"C.J.'s been really good with Trevor, and it'll take some time getting used to, some adjustments," Pederson told the media when asked how much of a transition Trevor Lawrence will undergo without C.J. Beathard on the quarterback room. "But Mac, his veteran presence. He's played a lot of games, just like C.J. had. Those two have a really good relationship as well."

Pederson continued, "And we've seen it. I've seen it. I've spent time in that room, and I see the dialog that goes on, not only in there but on the field. It'll take an adjustment period, but they're pros. Mac supports Trevor, and we just roll."

The team's brass should be thrilled to have Jones in what turned out to be a one-year rental. He's set to make $2.7 million next season and will become a free agent in 2025. Given the demand at the position and his status as a former first-round pick, he'll surely be in demand when he becomes a free agent.

This will make it difficult for the Jaguars to keep Jones around, especially when you take into account that they already made Lawrence one of the highest-paid players in the NFL when they gave him a five-year, $275 million.

Still, the Jacksonville Jaguars must be ecstatic about having a backup of Mac Jones' caliber in 2024. They'll probably be even more excited if he doesn't have to play a single down.

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