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There haven’t been many positives to take from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2020 season so far, but that might be exactly how they planned it.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is poised to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He’s the best QB prospect to come out of college in recent memory, and teams will be clamoring to get their hands on him come April. With the Jaguars‘ latest injury news, they could be well on their way to landing the next Tom Brady.

Gardner Minshew could miss time with a thumb injury

Gardner Minshew has served as Jacksonville’s starting quarterback for the entirety of the season so far. The second-year QB led the Jaguars to an upset win in Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts, but he hasn’t had much success since then.

After the surprising victory, the Jags rattled off six losses in a row. Jacksonville has lost its last five games by an average of 14.0 points per game.

Minshew hasn’t been particularly impressive since Week 1, but he’s the only quarterback on the roster who gives the Jaguars a chance to compete. Neither journeyman Mike Glennon nor rookie Jake Luton would be an upgrade from Minshew under center.

But the Jaguars will be forced to employ one of their backups this week and moving forward, as Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Minshew has multiple fractures and a strained ligament in his right thumb. The QB probably won’t play next Sunday, and his status moving forward is uncertain.

The Jaguars just got closer to landing Trevor Lawrence

The Jaguars already looked like a bottom-three team with Minshew under center, but they’re about to look even worse if the QB misses some time with his thumb injury.

Jacksonville has a good chance to get back in the win column next Sunday against the 1-6 Houston Texans. After that, the Jags might have one or two possible wins left on their schedule. If Minshew can’t go against Houston, the Jaguars could be staring 1-15 or 2-14 right in the face.

Without a realistic chance at making the playoffs, though, Jacksonville fans might be rooting for more losses than wins the rest of the season. If they can’t make any noise this season, they might as well go all out for their next franchise QB.

The Jets stand in the way in the Lawrence sweepstakes

In a typical year, the Jaguars would be in the driver’s seat to win the No. 1 overall pick. But it’s still 2020, and that means anything is possible.

The Jets are still stinking it up in New York to the tune of 0-7. Adam Gase’s bunch hasn’t been very competitive in any game this season, and there’s a real possibility they could finish the season with zero wins.

The Jets could easily be tanking for the No. 1 pick on purpose to nab Lawrence. Sam Darnold was supposed to be the savior for the reeling franchise, but he hasn’t panned out yet in his third season with the team.

If the Jaguars go winless the rest of the season, they’ll need the Jets to lose at least one game in 2020. Jacksonville fans better get their green and white out. They’re New York fans for the rest of the year.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.