Jaguars sign veteran QB after latest Trevor Lawrence injury Escalate and Scary
The Jacksonville Jaguars have added a veteran quarterback in the wake of Trevor Lawrence’s latest injury.
The Jaguars announced on Tuesday that they have signed Matt Barkley off of the New York Giants’ practice squad. Barkley would likely serve as the backup behind CJ Beathard if Lawrence cannot play in Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers.
Barkley has not appeared in an NFL game since he was with the Buffalo Bills in 2020. The former USC star has 11 touchdown passes compared to 22 interceptions in his career.
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Lawrence has never missed a game in his career, but he has been very banged up over the last month. His most recent injury is a sprained shoulder that he sustained late in Sunday’s 30-12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lawrence was in concussion protocol leading up to that game and has also been playing through a significant ankle injury.
It would not be a surprise if Lawrence continues to play hurt, especially with Jacksonville fighting for a playoff spot. For now, the Jags have brought in some insurance.
Bailey Zappe has led the New England Patriots to two victories in their last three games, and his relationship with head coach Bill Belichick appears to have evolved a bit during that time.
Following the Patriots’ road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, an understandably ecstatic Zappe came into the locker room and hugged offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Zappe then spotted Belichick and gave the coach an awkward thumbs up before the two shared an extremely formal handshake.
The exchange went viral, with many wondering if there is tension between Belichick and Zappe. The two seemed to put that to rest after New England defeated the Denver Broncos 26-23 on Christmas Day. Zappe went right in for the hug, and Belichick gladly accepted.
During a Tuesday appearance on WEEI’s “Jones & Mego” show, Zappe said his decision to hug Belichick after Monday’s win was very deliberate.
“The handshake thing and everything, when I was walking in after the Broncos game he like reached out for the handshake and I was like, ‘Ah, coach, no more handshake. Let’s go for a hug,’” Zappe said. “So that’s kind of how that all happened.”
Zappe also spoke about how fortunate he feels to be coached by Belichick. You can hear more of his response below
Belichick is notorious for making young players earn their stripes. Perhaps the 71-year-old was still taking the “disappointed father” approach with Zappe after the Steelers win.
Of course, Belichick is also known for showing very little emotion. We saw a great example of that with the viral video that showed how different his and Zappe’s reactions were to New England’s game-winning field goal in Denver.
