From an article about three bad quarterbacks and how their teams got better by drafting replacements in the first round:
<b><i>What was the book on Blaine Gabbert heading into the 2011 draft?</i></b> Gabbert ranked as the top quarterback in the 2011 class on several boards across the league. Teams were intrigued with his prototypical physical dimensions, arm talent and athleticism. In 26 starts for the Missouri Tigers, Gabbert completed more than 61 percent of his passes for 6,779 yards, posting a 40:18 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Although Gabbert's numbers paled in comparison to
Chase Daniel's production guiding the same offense, Gabbert's raw tools convinced many that he could develop into an impact player in the pros.
Scouts did worry about Gabbert's pocket poise and deep-ball accuracy. He seemingly wilted under heavy pressure at Mizzou, exhibiting a lack of composure and courage when the pocket broke down. He routinely flinched with defenders in close proximity -- a tell-tale sign of a quarterback looking at the rush instead of focusing on his progressions down the field. Gabbert also struggled with his accuracy on throws beyond 15 yards; he couldn't consistently place the ball in the strike zone on deep in- or out-breaking routes. Thus, Gabbert compiled numbers by terrorizing opponents with a host of quick-rhythm throws (bubble screens, stick routes and quick outs).
<b><i>Where did it go wrong in Jacksonville?</i></b> Truthfully, Gabbert was destined to fail with the
Jaguars. He didn't have a stellar supporting cast around him and he was thrown to the wolves before he was ready to play as a pro. Also, the 2011 NFL lockout prevented Gabbert from getting a jump-start on his career with offseason workouts and minicamps. He didn't have a solid grasp of the offense -- or the speed and pace of the NFL game -- prior to taking over as the
Jaguars' starter in Week 3 of his rookie season. Lastly, the
Jaguars didn't do Gabbert any favors by having three different offensive coordinators in his three seasons with the team. Sure, NFL quarterbacks are expected to be adaptable, but it's hard for any signal-caller to adjust to constant change in the play-calling department, particularly when it's a young QB still getting a feel for the pro game.
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<p style="font-family:arial, verdana, helvetica;color:rgb(34,34,33);">Now, I'm not trying to absolve Gabbert for his role in the
Jaguars' underachievement over the last few years, but it's important to note that the team didn't put him in the best situation to succeed. In March,
Jacksonville traded him to San Francisco for a sixth-round pick.
<p style="font-family:arial, verdana, helvetica;color:rgb(34,34,33);"><b><i>Why will it be different for Blake Bortles?</i></b> In their second year with the franchise, general manager Dave Caldwell and head coach
Gus Bradleyare making a concerted effort to
notrepeat the mistakes of the prior regime. First and foremost, the
Jaguars appear to have a plan in place to slowly bring along Bortles until he is ready to take over as the starter. The team
re-signed Chad Henne to a two-year deal in March, providing a solid placeholder. Although Henne obviously will do his best to retain the starting position, I'm sure he has been encouraged to share his knowledge with the youngster in the meeting room. The seventh-year veteran should be a valuable mentor to Bortles while he adapts to the NFL.
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<p style="font-family:arial, verdana, helvetica;color:rgb(34,34,33);">Whenever Bortles is ready to take the reins, he will be surrounded by a number of enticing weapons acquired by the Jags this offseason. In free agency, Jacksonville scooped up promising RB
Toby Gerhart. And in the draft, after selecting Bortles in Round 1, Jacksonville quickly grabbed a pair of intriguing pass catchers (
Marqise Lee and
Allen Robinson) in the second round. On Day 3 of the draft, the Jags added running back
Storm Johnson, Bortles' backfield mate at Central Florida. Thus, Bortles won't feel the pressure of having to carry the entire offense on his back because he is supported by capable playmakers.
Bortles showed glimpses of being a big-time quarterback during his time at UCF, but he must continue to work on his judgment under duress, while developing a better feel for making full-field reads. At the end of the day, though, he has all of the physical tools and intangibles coaches look for in a franchise quarterback.