Jaguars HC gives important update on QB Trevor Lawrence's status

There is still a chance that the Jacksonville Jaguars will have starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence available on Sunday when they visit the Cleveland Browns.

Head coach Doug Pederson said on Friday that Lawrence will be listed as "questionable" for Sunday's game and that he will "probably" be a game-time decision.

That is an encouraging development for the Jaguars given how bad Lawrence's injury initially looked on Monday night in the team's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Lawrence officially suffered a high ankle sprain, but it looked like it might be significantly worse in the immediate aftermath. After having his ankle stepped on during a passing play, Lawrence was then awkwardly bent backward and was immediately in obvious pain. He slammed his helmet to the ground and was unable to walk off the field without the help of team trainers. 

There was immediate concern that it could have been a long-term, if not season-ending injury. 

But Lawrence was a limited participant in practice on Thursday after not suiting up for Wednesday's practice.

Sunday's game is huge in the AFC as the Jaguars are trying to hold off both the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans in the AFC South, while the Browns are desperately trying to hold on to a playoff spot. 

The Browns have their quarterback issues as starter Deshaun Watson is out for the season with a shoulder injury while Dorian Thompson-Robinson missed last week's game due to a concussion. That resulted in veteran Joe Flacco getting the start in a loss to the Rams.

If Lawrence is unable to play on Sunday it will likely be backup C.J. Beathard getting the start. Beathard is also dealing with an injury that limited him in practice this week.

Lawrence has completed 67.9 percent of his passes so far this season, while already throwing for 3,004 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. 

The Jaguars are 8-4 and own the top spot in the AFC South.