Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence has entered concussion protocol just a day after the team waived Canadian third-stringer Nathan Rourke.
Lawrence suffered the injury during the team’s 23-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. The 24-year-old completed 25-of-43 passes for 264 yards and one touchdown on the evening while rushing four times for 41 yards, but also fumbled twice.
Rourke was placed on waivers on Saturday with the intention of returning him to the team’s practice roster. According to NFL regulations, all 31 other NFL teams are given 24 hours to submit a claim for the 25-year-old before he can officially return to the Jags.
If Rourke does clear waivers for the third time this season, he could be bound back for the active roster yet again if Lawrence isn’t ready to go next week. The Oakville, Ont. native has twice been signed to the 53-man roster this year in order to take advantage of the NFL’s emergency third-quarterback rule when Lawrence has been forced to play through injury but has remained inactive on both occasions.
If the former first-overall pick can’t make the start, Rourke could be temporarily elevated from the practice roster to backup veteran C.J. Beathard, which would not expose him to waivers for a fourth time when he is eventually sent back down.
Rourke was first waived by the Jaguars following training camp and has spent the majority of his first NFL season on the practice squad. During the preseason, he completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 348 yards with one touchdown and zero interceptions while rushing 14 times for 39 yards and one touchdown.
The six-foot-one, 210-pound pivot threw for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions plus rushed for 304 yards and seven touchdowns over 10 games with the B.C. Lions in 2022. He was the first quarterback to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian since 1980 and helped the Lions reach the West Final despite playing with a lingering foot injury.
Lawrence has thrown for 3,525 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 14 starts this season. He has led the Jaguars to an 8-6 record, which places them in a three-way tie with the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans atop the AFC South.
Jacksonville will have until Sunday, December 24 to sort out their quarterback situation, when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) at 4:05 p.m. ET.
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