JACKSONVILLE – Trevor Lawrence appears unlikely to play Sunday.

Lawrence – the Jaguars' starting quarterback – likely will miss Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings with a left shoulder injury, according to Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson.

Lawrence has started 59 of 60 games in four NFL seasons. He was listed as questionable on the team's final injury report of the week Friday.

"It is trending, obviously, in a way that's probably to not playing or leaning towards not playing," Pederson said of Lawrence Friday.

Mac Jones, the Jaguars' backup quarterback, will start against the Vikings (6-2) at EverBank Stadium Sunday if Lawrence can't play. C.J. Beathard, signed by the Jaguars (2-7) off the Miami Dolphins' practice squad this week, will be the backup in that scenario.

"Mac's ready to go if need be," Pederson said. "It's a great opportunity if he plays."

Lawrence, who sustained a left shoulder injury in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday, practiced limited Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – and Pederson called Lawrence "very limited all week."

"He felt good today," Pederson said of Lawrence.

Jones, the No. 15 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, completed 864 of 1,308 passes for 8,918 yards and 46 touchdowns with 36 interceptions in three seasons starting for the Patriots.

He has completed six of nine passes for 28 yards in two appearances this season.

"I've got a lot of confidence [in Jones]," Pederson said. "He's somebody that prepares extremely hard, extremely well. He's a smart kid. You go back to even some of the preseason stuff and what he did then, as far as preparation and all that and how he played. He's going to be fine."

Pederson added, "He has been a starter in this league. He's done that. It'd be different probably if it was a rookie, a true rookie that was having to maybe play, and you're trying to get that person ready. It does, for a coach, give you a little bit of peace of mind that this is a veteran player that has kind of been there and done it."

Jones, who played collegiately at the University of Alabama, is a native of Jacksonville who played high school football at The Bolles School in Jacksonville.

"He'll be excited," Pederson said. "Home game, home crowd, home fans, his people, so to speak. But a lot of confidence in him."

Pederson said the offensive approach could be different with Jones than with Lawrence.

"It's with anybody, especially at the quarterback position," Pederson said. "I don't want him to be Trevor. So, we're not going to give him Trevor-type plays, but we're going to give him Mac-type plays, and we want Mac to run the offense.

"We've got enough variety that we can tailor it to him or C.J. or Trevor or whoever's playing."

Lawrence played through significant injuries multiple times in the past two seasons, doing so late in the 2022 season and after four different injuries in 2023. The Jaguars went 1-5 late in the 2023 season with Lawrence starting five of those games and leaving three of the games with three different injuries.

Lawrence practiced sparingly and limited in the last six weeks of last season.

"It's hard," Pederson said of a quarterback playing after not practicing during the week. "That's why I said it's trending the other way. I think that's something I learned last year. With the quarterback too, if you're not getting the reps during the week, it's just hard to go in. It's with any player, but I think at the quarterback position especially."

Pederson said he remains optimistic Lawrence will return this season.

"You're always optimistic that any player can return, especially the quarterback," he said. "We'll see as each week and each day goes by."

NOTABLE

• Left guard Ezra Cleveland (ankle) and rookie defensive tackle Maason Smith (ankle) were ruled out Friday, with Cleveland not practicing this week and Smith practicing limited all three days. Pederson this week said Blake Hance will start with Cleveland out. Lawrence was among eight Jaguars players listed as questionable on Friday’s final injury report of the week with the others:
  • Wide receiver Gabe Davis (shoulder)
  • Running back D'Ernest Johnson (hamstring)
  • Rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (chest)
  • Safety Daniel Thomas (hamstring)
  • Wide receiver/returner Devin Duvernay (hamstring)
  • Rookie running back Keilan Robinson (toe)
  • Safety Andrew Wingard (hamstring).

• Duvernay, Wingard and Robinson all have had their windows to return from injured reserve opened. The other three Jaguars players on the injury report Friday – running back Tank Bigsby (ankle), running back Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) and right guard Brandon Scherff (knee) – were listed without game statuses and are therefore expected to be available Sunday.