Mac Jones has prime chance to take the lead in Jaguars QB battle in preseason Week 2

The Jacksonville Jaguars are holding a competition between C.J. Beathard and Mac Jones for the backup quarterback job. The latter should have an edge after an impressive outing in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Preseason. He'll get a chance to get ahead further when the Jags face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.

Trevor Lawrence suited up for the preseason opener but head coach Doug Pederson told the media after the second joint practice with the Bucs that he'll sit out their bout in Week 2, pointing out that Jones and Beathard will play a half each. This paves the way for Jones to solidify his case for the backup job.

Jones is embracing the challenge of competing for a backup job after being the starter for the New England Patriots the past three seasons.

"I've competed my whole life, and I find great joy in competition," Jones told the media after Day 2 of joint practices with Tampa Bay. "I try to just be myself. I'm not going to change because of one thing or another. And like I said, I think we have a great room here. Trevor and C.J., they've been awesome, and I feel like we're brothers in there."

"That's what you want, and you want to bounce ideas off each other and compete every day. And sometimes we have these net challenges and stuff, and it's like three brothers out there just throwing the ball around," Jones said.

A first-round pick in 2021, Jones made the Pro Bowl and led the playoffs as a rookie. However, he was benched several times the last two years due to the lack of foresight from the Pats' coaching staff. New England had decided that they'd seen enough after 2023 and were ready to move on from the Alabama product. He didn't have a strong market, though and Jacksonville was able to acquire him for just a measly sixth-round pick.

Since joining the Jaguars, Jones has regained his confidence, which had taken a hit due to the Patriots' mismanagement of his development and their quarterback situation. The Jacksonville native is energized and reminded everyone how talented he is in the preseason opener, going 9-of-11 for 98 yards with no touchdowns and interceptions against the Chiefs.

Jones also told the local beat that he aims to have a balance between competing and maintaining a good relationship with his fellow quarterbacks.

"We compete in every other regard, but at the end of the day, we're on the same team. We're all working for a common goal. Every good team that I've been on, that's the case, but the bad ones, not so much," Jones said.

Beathard, for his part, completed seven of 14 passes for 125 yards with one touchdown and no picks in preseason Week 1. He told the media during his media availability session that he's focused on what he can control.

"I don't try to make a bigger deal than what it is," Beathard responded when he was asked how he deals with the competition. "Every day, you're just trying to do your best and put your best foot forward, but the bigger the moment you make it, I feel like the more stress you bring upon yourself. And there's just no need for that. Yeah, I mean being eight years in, I seen, seen a lot, been through a lot, so I feel like I'm mature in that sense."

Beathard, a third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, signed with the Jags in 2021. He's been the primary backup behind Trevor Lawrence since then. He saw ample time against the Cincinnati Bengals last year and later won his lone start of the season against the Carolina Panthers. The former Iowa Hawkeye is 3-10 as a starter for his career. Here's both Jones and Beathard talking to the media after practice.

Mac Jones should have the edge over CJ Beathard to backup Trevor Lawrence

There's no doubt that C.J.Beathard has been an invaluable mentor for Trevor Lawrence and has most certainly played a big role in his development. That said, he's a limited quarterback, which is why the Jacksonville Jaguars might've pressed Lawrence into action despite the fact that he was dealing with several ailments in the second half of the 2023 season.

It's also worth noting that Beathard's only start in 2023 came against the lowly Carolina Panthers, and the game plan asked him to limit mistakes rather than win. Had the Jaguars felt comfortable with their quarterback situation, they wouldn't have probably traded for Jones, who's more talented than his veteran counterpart.

Still, Jacksonville deserves credit for not handing Jones the backup job and making him earn it. If he once again performs in Week 2 like he did in the opener, he should have no trouble seizing it.

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