Does Trevor Lawrence Injury Mean Bad News for Raiders?

The Las Vegas Raiders could face a tough obstacle in their pursuit of the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) leaves the field after Sunday's victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Las Vegas Raiders at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL Sunday November 6, 2022. The Jaguars trailed 20 to 10 at the end of the first half but came back to win the game with a final score of 27 to 20. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] Jki 110622 Bs Jaguars Vs Raiders 06 / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Las Vegas Raiders are tied for the worst record in the NFL through 12 games this season at 2-10. 

Raiders fans hope the team can land the top selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they face some stiff competition. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants are also 2-10, and Coach Antonio Pierce’s team holds the No. 2 overall selection due to a strength of schedule tiebreaker. The Jaguars have the top pick. 

However, the Raiders may have a tough time challenging the Jaguars for that top spot due to some injury news. 

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday afternoon that star Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence was placed on injured reserve and will undergo shoulder surgery. He will miss the rest of the season. 

#Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is expected to have surgery to repair his significant AC joint injury in his left shoulder in the coming weeks, sources say. His season is over.

Lawrence will make a full recovery for 2025. pic.twitter.com/JKuMIMjDVo

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 4, 2024

While the Jaguars have struggled in most of their games this season, losing their franchise quarterback for the rest of the year significantly hinders any chance the team will win many more games. 

Lawrence has missed time this season, and in the games he has not played, Mac Jones has started at quarterback. The Jaguars have struggled mightily in his starts, going 0-3 in those games. Jones has thrown just two touchdowns and three interceptions in his three starts. 

This news does not help the Raiders, who need the Jaguars and Giants to win games to secure the top pick in the draft. It especially doesn't help when the Raiders have the Jaguars on the schedule in two weeks.

Jones is prone to turning the ball over, and the Raiders have the fewest takeaways in the NFL this season. It’s a stoppable force vs. a movable object. 

Will the Raiders force turnovers against Jones and the Jaguars? Or will he find the soft spots in the Raiders’ defense, which has played solidly, but obviously regressed?

The silver lining to the Jaguars potentially securing the top draft spot is that they do not need a quarterback. The Raiders do. The Jaguars could take Colorado star cornerback and receiver Travis Hunter and leave his gunslinging teammate, Shedeur Sanders, for the Silver and Black.

The Raiders do not want to lose games. The fans may wish for that result for a higher draft pick, but no player or coach will intentionally lose for that reason. 

Fans hope the Raiders will have the first pick in the draft, but the news of Lawrence’s injury could spell trouble on that front.

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