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Week 1 of the NFL season marked the debut of a handful of rookie quarterbacks as four out of the five signal-callers drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft got the nod. Let’s see how they fared.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence: 332 passing yards, 3 TDs and 3 INTs
It was a mix of good and bad for the No. 1 overall pick as Jacksonville suffered a 37-21 Week 1 loss to the Houston Texans. Things started out good for the former Clemson QB but he’ ended up getting picked off on back-to-back drives in the first half. Lawrence ended up completing just 55 percent of his passes in his debut.
Patriots QB Mac Jones: 281 passing yards, 1 TD
Jones individually held his own in the battle of former Alabama QB’s, completing 29 of his 39 passes in the Pats’ loss to Tua Tagovailoa’s Miami Dolphins. Jones was leading the team on a potential go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter before a Damien Harris fumble killed the comeback attempt.
Jets QB Zach Wilson: 258 passing yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT
Wilson struggled early but came on late in the Jets’ 19-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. He didn’t accomplish much early but ended up leading the team on two touchdown drives late in an attempt to storm back into the ballgame
49ers QB Trey Lance: 1 pass, 1 completion for 5 yards and 1 TD
The No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft gave Niners fans a brief taste of the future as he came in for one red zone play and hit Trent Sherfield for a five-yard touchdown. Jimmy Garropolo threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown himself, so the calls for Lance to take over should be quelled for the time being.
Bears QB Justin Fields: 2 passes, 10 passing yards, 1 rush for 3 yards and 1 TD
The Bears used Fields sparingly against the Los Angeles Rams, giving the rookie a play here and there while letting Andy Dalton take most of the snaps. It was a bit surprising to see Fields used in this fashion, but head coach Matt Nagy clearly has an approach he believes in. Fields did have a three-yard rushing touchdown, which is sure to get Chicago fans going for the rest of the week. Matt Nagy will probably stick to his guns much longer that fans would like, but Fields will take over at some point.