The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ organized team activities Monday saw a couple of notable injuries, and the most significant may be what happened to backup quarterback C.J. Beathard. Beathard (seen above throwing a pass during a May 23 OTA) was carted off the field following an injury:
Jaguars backup QB CJ Beathard being taken off the field via cart after being down for several minutes. Not clear yet what the injury is.
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) June 6, 2022
Jaguars backup QB CJ Beathard loaded onto a car to be taken to locker room. Second player injured today
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) June 6, 2022
As per OurLads’ projected Jaguars depth chart last month, Beathard was set to be the team’s main backup for Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. Current options behind him are Jake Luton and E.J. Perry, but neither have a lot of NFL experience. Thus, if the 28-year-old Beathard (a third-round pick out of Iowa by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, he played for them from 2017-20 before joining the Jaguars last year) is out for a significant length of time, the team might look for further backup options.
Beathard was not the only Jaguars’ player injured Monday. Edge rusher Jordan Smith also left with a knee injury:
Jordan Smith down on the ground hurt.
Trainers checking on him and teammates taking an knee.
Looking at his right leg
— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) June 6, 2022
Jordan Smith being helped off the field by training staff. Walking gingerly.
— Jordan de Lugo (@jordandelugo) June 6, 2022
Tough day for Jaguars with DE/OLB Jordan Smith (knee) and backup QB CJ Beathard suffered an undisclosed injury. Beathard had to be carted off near the end of practice.
— John Reid (@JohnReid64) June 6, 2022
Smith, a fourth-round draft pick last year out of UAB, only dressed for two games in 2021, but he did contribute on both defense and special teams in those games. He was listed as the team’s third outside linebacker in that OurLads’ depth chart from last month. Meanwhile, Beathard only appeared in two games as well, and only attempted two passes (completing both), but he did provide a notable veteran presence behind Lawrence. If he’s out for any length of time, that may lead to the Jaguars reevaluating their QB situation.
[ProFootballTalk; photo from Bob Self/The Florida Times-Union, via USA Today Sports]