Three observations: What does C.J. Beathard's contract extension mean for Jaguars QB room?

On Friday, the Jaguars announced that the team signed quarterback C.J. Beathard to a contract extension ahead of his contract expiring at the start of the new league year on March 15.

Beathard's extension was a reported two-year deal worth $4.5 million in base value, including $1 million in incentives each year, allowing Beathard to make up to $6.5 million over the course of the two-year pact.

The move comes after the team signed CFL QB Nathan Rourke to a futures deal in January, while also retaining third-string and practice-squad QB E.J. Perry with a futures deal.

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Beathard has been with the team since 2021 when he signed his first two-year deal with Jacksonville. He's played in six games with the Jaguars, starting none. He's completed 9-of-13 passes for 68 yards and an interception, rarely playing as the backup to franchise QB Trevor Lawrence.

Here are three observations about the team's move to extend Beathard.

Beathard's relationship with Trevor Lawrence made an impact

There's no doubt that the Jaguars consulted with Lawrence about Beathard just after the season. The team's lead signal-caller made it known during his exit interview with the media that he would like to have a voice in the room about the team's moves made this offseason.

Beathard has been with Lawrence since the very beginning. Lawrence was selected with the first-overall pick during the same offseason that the team made a move to sign Beathard in the first place.

The two have a blossoming relationship, with their lockers just a couple of spots away from one another.

Off the field, the two had a great relationship, often playing ping pong with each other as partners in the locker room. Lawrence joked about having his ping-pong partner retained moving forward.

"We should [make a ping pong champion trophy] for C.J. [quarterback C.J. Beathard]. We talked about making him a plaque or something," Lawrence said in January. "Hopefully my guy C.J. is back, too, so we’ll have a lot more ping pong playing moving forward.”

Jaguars believe in Beathard, his experience with team's playbook

Though it's possible the team drafts a QB late in this year's draft with a chance to develop him, it's clear the Jaguars feel as though Beathard is the ideal veteran QB to sit behind Lawrence as he progresses in his career.

This year's free-agent pool of veteran backup QBs wasn't significant, but the Jaguars had some options. Among those with likely backup figures slated to be available to sign on March 15 are Teddy Bridgewater, Case Keenum, Mason Rudolph, Jacoby Bissett, Andy Dalton, Mike White, Blaine Gabbert, among others.

The team had a choice. They could have likely signed one of the outside QBs but decided to stay with Beathard, who has worked with Lawrence for two years and has a firm grasp of the playbook. Both of those were factors in extending him now rather than rolling the dice with a new veteran in free agency.

The move also likely saved the team some money. Regardless of who the team would have signed as a veteran backup, they likely would cost more due to being on the open market, rather than in-house.

Jaguars can still add to QB room with draft pick or post-draft pickup

Though it appears the team will not dabble into the free agency market to acquire a QB, the Jaguars could still add to their QB room through the draft or via a post-draft pickup, ala signing Perry following the 2022 NFL Draft

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson spoke about his philosophy when it comes to adding to the QB room this past offseason.

"Again, the quarterback position, I’ve always sort of adopted the philosophy of if you can find a guy that can come in, whether he’s your third or your fourth guy, and add the competition, add the value, I keep bringing that up, but that’s what we do," said Pederson.

The Jaguars have nine draft picks in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, including two fourth-round picks and two sixth-round picks. One of those latter picks can be used to acquire a QB, perhaps drafting one with the idea of him becoming the future backup for the franchise.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Three observations about the Jaguars extending QB C.J. Beathard