When Do the Jaguars Play Caleb Williams and Other Rookie QBs?

The Jaguars have a projected three starting rookie quarterbacks on their schedule.

May 10, 2024; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams warms up during Chicago / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

With six quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, it is fair to assume that every team will see a rookie quarterback on their schedule at one point or another.

For the Jacksonville Jaguars, their schedule consists of half of the first-round quarterbacks: No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, No. 3 pick Drake Maye, and No. 10 pick J.J. McCarthy.

The Jaguars faced a high volume rookie starters a year ago, going 4-1 against a group that consisted of C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis. Stroud was the only one to defeat the Jaguars, toppling Doug Pederson's squad in Week 3 in Jacksonville. And while it was an admirable effort, Richardson's bout vs. the Jaguars was his NFL debut.

This time around, the Jaguars will have a new defensive scheme and a few new faces (Arik Armstead, Ronald Darby, Darnell Savage). For the Jaguars to get to where they badly hope to be, they will need to be a team that can take inexperienced quarterbacks to task.

So, when will the Jaguars play each rookie quarterback in 2024?

Week 6: Caleb Williams

The Jaguars will face the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row, though it is hard to imagine this contest going like last year's. The Jaguars domianted Young and the Panthers in Week 17, taking on a dismantled Carolina team that had already fired its coach and fell into disaray. This time, the Jaguars get the draft's top pick in the sixth game of the season and overseas.

Williams will face the Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, and the Panthers before heading to London to take on the Jaguars. It will be a big leap for the draft's top pick to make so early in his career, which could lead to a slight advantage for the Jaguars.

With that said, the Bears aren't the worst team the Jaguars will play in 2024, either. They are a tier or two above the Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and the New England Patriots. It makes sense to put the Bears on the same tier as the Colts and the Browns, which means this could be a hard-fought game regardless of the experience of Williams.

Week 7: Drake Maye

A week after facing the No. 1 pick, the Jaguars will take on the No. 3 pick and the New England Patriots in London. The Jaguars will stay in London for a second week as opposed to having to travel on the fly like the Patriots; some considered this an advantage for the Jaguars against the Buffalo Bills last year, and it could repeat here.

This is a tricky one, though, because it remains to be seen if Maye will actually start the game. The Patriots signed Jacoby Brissett in free agency and there is a good chance he opens the season as the starter. Whether he lasts seven games and makes it to London before the Patriots want to see what they have in Maye is likely the question to ask here.

Week 10: J.J. McCarthy

The final rookie quarterback the Jaguars will play is Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy, a former Michigan star, was one of the fastest-rising prospects in the class but still ended up as the No. 5 quarterback behind Williams, Maye, Jayden Daniels, and Michael Penix. McCarthy is an inteligent and athletic prospect, but there is a reason the Vikings traded to 10 and not higher to land him.

With that said, McCarthy is arguably entering into one of the best situations of any rookie quarterback in recent memory. Williams and the Bears' supporting cast gets a lot of love thanks to Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore, and Keenan Allen, but the Vikings' bookend tackles and trio of Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison could be just as good.