Jaguars Re-Sign QB C.J. Beathard

FEBRUARY 25: A few more details have surfaced on Beathard’s new two-year deal. The two-year contract carries a total base salary of $4.5MM, Pelissero tweets. The deal also includes annual incentives of up to $1MM, giving the contract a max value of $6.5MM if Beathard can hit his incentive benchmarks.

FEBRUARY 24: C.J. Beathard joined the Jaguars before Doug Pederson, but the Urban Meyer-era investment remains in the franchise’s plans. The Jags announced Friday they reached another agreement with their backup quarterback.

This is a two-year deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Beathard, who signed with the team in 2021, was set to be a free agent. The former 49ers third-round pick will be expected to remain Trevor Lawrence‘s backup going forward. Beathard, 29, played out a two-year, $5MM contract in 2022.

Lawrence has not missed a start since being the 2021 No. 1 overall pick, keeping Beathard on the bench except for games requiring mop-up work. Beathard saw more action with the 49ers, who drafted him shortly after Trent Baalke‘s ouster as GM. Baalke was in place with the Jags when they drafted Beathard; Baalke and Pederson have liked what they’ve seen from the Iowa alum in his QB2 role.

Chosen 104th overall in 2017, Beathard is 2-10 as a starter. Upon taking over a rebuild in San Francisco, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch did not acquire a long-term QB ahead of their first season. This left Beathard and Brian Hoyer as the notable arms. But the 49ers benched the veteran and started Beathard in October 2017. Shortly after, they traded for Jimmy Garoppolo. The ex-Patriots backup, however, did not debut immediately for his new team. That left Beathard at the controls during Garoppolo’s first weeks in the Bay Area. Beathard, the grandson of Hall of Fame GM Bobby Beathard, quarterbacked Shanahan’s first win — a November 2017 victory against the Giants.

In 25 appearances over the past six seasons, Beathard has completed 58.8% of his passes at 6.9 yards per attempt. His select starts with San Francisco notwithstanding, the former Big Ten QB1 has not factored into any starter conversations. But the Jags will continue to keep him onboard during Lawrence’s rookie contract.