The Jaguars concluded their preseason on Friday night, with Mac Jones making a case to secure the position of No. 2 quarterback behind Trevor Lawrence. Jones has been in competition with C.J. Beathard this summer, but with Beathard sidelined due to a groin injury, Jones took the opportunity to shine. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown during the game against the Falcons. This performance marked a significant improvement from his time with the Patriots, and Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson noted that it reflects what the team has observed from him throughout the summer.
However, Pederson acknowledged that some of Jones’s old habits from his time in New England still occasionally surface. “Mac has played extremely well in the last couple of weeks and has really bought into what we do,” Pederson stated. “He’ll still revert back to his Patriots ways every now and then, and we have to remind him he’s in Jacksonville. But he’s done a good job managing and running the offense, getting everybody involved. He sees the field well, throws a good ball, so he’s done a good job.”
The Jaguars are hopeful that Lawrence will remain healthy and on the field for the entirety of the 2024 season, while also wishing to eliminate any remnants of Jones’s past with the Patriots should they need to rely on him to lead the offense.