Training camp is getting close, and the Jaguars’ quarterback picture already looks pretty clear.
Jacksonville’s room includes Trevor Lawrence, Nick Mullens, Carter Bradley and Joey Aguilar, but when it comes to the 53-man roster, the real conversation starts and ends with the top two. Lawrence is the obvious lock. Mullens, meanwhile, is the veteran who appears poised to stick around as the backup again.
That doesn’t mean Mullens is untouchable. He’s experienced, but he also has a contract Jacksonville can move on from pretty easily, which is why he doesn’t quite land in the same category as Lawrence. Still, the expectation here is that he makes the team.
The case for Mullens is pretty straightforward. He didn’t have his best minicamp, but he brings something the younger quarterbacks can’t offer yet: experience.
A backup quarterback isn’t just there in case the starter goes down. He’s also another voice in the room, someone who can help on the practice field, on the sideline and in meetings.
That kind of value comes from time in the league, and Bradley and Aguilar simply aren’t there yet.
They may have more upside, but Mullens has the edge in terms of being able to support Lawrence right now.
As for how many quarterbacks Jacksonville keeps, last year under Liam Coen the Jaguars carried two on the 53-man roster, with a third on the practice squad. That setup makes sense again here.
Prediction: Trevor Lawrence and Nick Mullens. For now, there doesn’t seem to be much drama in this group.
In Other News...
Jaguars Fans Have Every Reason To Watch Travis Hunter Closely At Camp
Travis Hunter is heading into Jaguars camp with plenty of attention already attached, and not just because of the buzz that followed him into the league. Jacksonville is planning to be careful with his workload as he comes back from a right lateral collateral ligament injury and surgery, a sensible approach for a player the team wants to ease back into practice rather than throw straight into a full camp workload. Hunter also had limited two-way work in last years camp before being shut down after only a few practices, which only adds to the anticipation around how the Jaguars will handle him this time.
For Jacksonville fans, the bigger backdrop is how hard it has been for first-round picks to stick around for the long haul. Research on NFL first-rounders from 2000-16 shows just one Jaguars pick lasted at least 10 years with the team, with Marcedes Lewis the lone exception. That history is part of why Hunters camp reps matter so much now, because the Jaguars are trying to get the most out of a talent they clearly value while also protecting him for what they hope is a much longer run in Jacksonville. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Lawrence Delivered A Strong Jaguars Offseason Moment In Tahoe
Trevor Lawrences offseason detour to Tahoe gave Jaguars fans a little something to smile about, even if it came in a celebrity golf setting rather than on a football field. In the second round of the American Century Championship, Lawrence steadied himself after a rough start and turned in a net zero score, a respectable showing in a 90-player field that also included Titans coach Robert Saleh.
The bigger subplot for Jacksonville was how Lawrence stacked up against familiar company. He finished ahead of Baker Mayfield for the second straight day, while Larry Fitzgerald was the best performer in their group and landed well in front of both quarterbacks. For a player still shaping the Jaguars next chapter, even an offseason event like this can carry a little extra meaning when the competition includes names fans know so well. [Read more 🡒]