Ok, first up I'm not looking for an argument or any hostility. I'm a fan of Blake Bortles.. this season sucks even more so because I really really wanted him to kick on and be an improved Blake Bortles than that of last season. In that mindset, I don't think I'm any different to any of the Jaguars fans on this forum.
I totally agree that he is making some terrible decisions and for that I cannot and will not defend him. No way, no how.
Some of it, I'm sure you'll agree, is down to coaching.
Anyway, my question(s) is this:
A/ After this season, is the general consensus one that will suggest that Blake Bortles will no longer be a starter on the Jaguars roster?
Or B/ do we think that the inevitable change in coaching staff will improve Blake (something which I think is possible), and we have a QB who looks more like the one of last year (albeit with fewer interceptions)?.
I vote for C...
You bring in an alternative/competition to/for Bortles whether it's through Free Agency or the draft it doesn't matter. Even if Brandon Allen has grown this season on the practice field and worthy of true open competition.
I don't buy all the crap that Bortles is the starter until he's not and if you bench him then he's down with the Jags. If he's not good enough to hold off the competition then we don't want him starting anyway.
Unfortunately, there is not a QB tree out back so there aren't many options for QBs in the NFL or through the draft over the next year.
Some of these young QBs in the NFL have had success simply by being given an opportunity. Bortles has had 42 games in the NFL...I'm pretty sure the coaching staff (or the new staff will) know what they have in him (about the same as we have in Henne which isn't enough to be a consistent winner).
Bottom line, the new coaches need to give anyone and everyone an option to win the starting QB job. Then, we may still need to be looking to find someone in the 2018 draft.
I think the most likely outcome ( though by no means the only possibility ) is Dave Caldwell will remain the Jaguars GM, the team will have a new HC. OC, and QB Coach, and Blake Bortles will enter the season as the team's # 1 QB. With the plan to try to get Bortles back on track.
Having said that, I think the team is going to make a significant addition at the QB position either in the middle of the draft or in Free Agency. Bortles has regressed to the point that I think he needs better competition than Chad Henne can provide. IMO, Henne's value is greater as a sounding board for a QB who's playing much better than Bortles has this season.
It depends if Caldwell is around. I think if Dave is still here there will be a mild attempt to bring in competition for Blake but not someone intended to supplant him, a journeyman like Hoyer or something. I doubt Dave would even go for a stopgap/veteran trade with a Romo or Cutler.
If the entire regime is replaced then I think there is a very good chance that a major QB shakeup is done...like using our 1st or 2nd rounder on a QB or spending a lot of money/draft capital to sign a potential franchise replacement like Cousins or trade for Garoppolo or something.
If Dave does stay and it's perceived the new HC will be saddled with Blake, I have no clue what will happen. I don't think we will wind up with one of the hot offensively minded coaches like McDaniels, Haley, or Shanahan in that case. If so the slim chances Blake has of recovering to what he was last year (and ultimately better than last year) could go to nil.
Quote:I think the most likely outcome ( though by no means the only possibility ) is Dave Caldwell will remain the Jaguars GM, the team will have a new HC. OC, and QB Coach, and Blake Bortles will enter the season as the team's # 1 QB. With the plan to try to get Bortles back on track.
Having said that, I think the team is going to make a significant addition at the QB position either in the middle of the draft or in Free Agency. Bortles has regressed to the point that I think he needs better competition than Chad Henne can provide. IMO, Henne's value is greater as a sounding board for a QB who's playing much better than Bortles has this season.
This is my thinking. I wonder if complacency is part of the the issue.
Quote:This is my thinking. I wonder if complacency is part of the the issue.
Good point about complacency.
My guess is that it's not close to the entire issue and it's probably not the primary issue. But it's likely part of the issue. If Blake Bortles truly felt the team had a better QB option, he probably at least would have made better decisions in games.
Quote: Good point about complacency.
My guess is that it's not close to the entire issue and it's probably not the primary issue. But it's likely part of the issue. If Blake Bortles truly felt the team had a better QB option, he probably at least would have made better decisions in games.
Absolutely right.
Let's face it, injury aside, Chad Henne isn't getting on the field (apart from to take a knee), and Blake knows that.
Quote:Absolutely right.
Let's face it, injury aside, Chad Henne isn't getting on the field (apart from to take a knee), and Blake knows that.
The last 2 off-seasons, I thought that Chad Henne was an excellent fit as the Jaguars # 2. That won't be the case in 2017 unless possibly if the Jaguars move on from Blake Bortles and draft a QB who will be considered the long term solution.
Quote:Ok, first up I'm not looking for an argument or any hostility. I'm a fan of Blake Bortles.. this season sucks even more so because I really really wanted him to kick on and be an improved Blake Bortles than that of last season. In that mindset, I don't think I'm any different to any of the Jaguars fans on this forum.
I totally agree that he is making some terrible decisions and for that I cannot and will not defend him. No way, no how.
Some of it, I'm sure you'll agree, is down to coaching.
Anyway, my question(s) is this:
A/ After this season, is the general consensus one that will suggest that Blake Bortles will no longer be a starter on the Jaguars roster?
Or B/ do we think that the inevitable change in coaching staff will improve Blake (something which I think is possible), and we have a QB who looks more like the one of last year (albeit with fewer interceptions)?.
Completely agree. I see it as we bring someone in to challenge Blake a bit. He needs to know that his position isn't guaranteed. I think Blake will improve again this off season and will progress next season. Stats suggest he isn't as bad as we've seen this season. He's currently 16th in passing yards this season above Cam Newton and some others. He's made some stupid throws at times which simply can't be defended but I still believe in him.
It is strange watching QB's go from saviors to garbage. We see it across the league, and while everyone knows most Running backs careers are usually short because of hits, most QB's also have a limited lifespan in today's game. Tom Bradys and Drew Brees are rare. Most QB's are like Henne, who once was a good QB. He was on fire coming out of college, and looked great at times in Miami. Bortles seems to be following the same downhill trajectory most quarterbacks follow, he just hit the slope faster than most. His first year in my opinion was made with AR15 bailing him out time after time. He got hurt a lot catching Blakes jump balls. The same inaccuracy was there but it was covered up by spectacular play from a receiver headed to the Pro Bowl. Now Robinson is not so willing to shorten his career for Blake. Hurns and Allen and Lee are open, but they are probably sick of killing themselves stretching and jumping for a below average QB. They know the after catch hit is going to be brutal. Since Blake has hit the downhill slope in record speed, it probably is a good indication he is done. He is a Henne now. Some say they do not want to see Henne. He is Henne. It definitely seems QB's now get over the hill as fast as Running backs, at least in the last decade. Maybe their arms are getting burnt out in the passing game which now dominates. The old time QB's lasted forever. The new QB's throw a lot, get sacked a lot, and it really seems to shorten their career, in Bortles case, it was a brief 2 year starting career. His arm, mind, decision making, all seems like a journeyman QB who has bounced around the league. Probably worse at this point, because he was never great. Maybe he can take a year or more off, rest the arm, and have a second short career somewhere.
I'm with D6 on this one.
I still refuse to give up on a 24 year old who just threw 35 TDs. HOWEVER, we must address the elephant that is Blake's regression. I believe a new staff and competition will help him tremendously. If not, then said competition takes over.
Quote: Good point about complacency.
My guess is that it's not close to the entire issue and it's probably not the primary issue. But it's likely part of the issue. If Blake Bortles truly felt the team had a better QB option, he probably at least would have made better decisions in games.
Or he could make worst decisions because of the pressure he's feeling to perform
(a)
look how Stafford throws the football, the ball placement, the velocity, how natural and quick his throwing motion is, he also can improvise on his throwing motion (throw side arm) to get the ball around defensive linemen and still have accuracy and velocity.
now look at Bortles.
Time for a new QB. The Jags front office made a mistake not drafting Carr and set the franchise back 4 more years.
My gut tells me that our QB depth chart will look the same in 2017, that it does now and we'll deal with the problem in 2018. It's not the answer that many people will want to hear, but it's what I think.
Quote:I think the most likely outcome ( though by no means the only possibility ) is Dave Caldwell will remain the Jaguars GM, the team will have a new HC. OC, and QB Coach, and Blake Bortles will enter the season as the team's # 1 QB. With the plan to try to get Bortles back on track.
Having said that, I think the team is going to make a significant addition at the QB position either in the middle of the draft or in Free Agency. Bortles has regressed to the point that I think he needs better competition than Chad Henne can provide. IMO, Henne's value is greater as a sounding board for a QB who's playing much better than Bortles has this season.
This is my mindset as well. I fully expect to see the team seriously exploring their options to bring in a QB who will create competitions. Bortles remains the starter for the time being, but if he's outplayed by someone during the lead up to 2017, he'll take a seat.
The coaching staff is going to change. That's a given at this point. My guess is that Caldwell will be looking for a head coach with a track record in the NFL, and someone who has proven to be capable of developing struggling QBs into effective starters. Bortles is going to have a significant impact on the decisions made with the new head coach.
Quote:My gut tells me that our QB depth chart will look the same in 2017, that it does now and we'll deal with the problem in 2018. It's not the answer that many people will want to hear, but it's what I think.
Disagree. This is Henne's last year with the team. I see them exploring alternatives that will give them the ability to move on from Bortles if the struggles continue. I don't see Allen being that guy, so we're either going to go into free agency and grab someone, or we'll be drafting one early again this year. The team can't afford to sit on the QB situation until 2018. If bringing in competition to press Blake helps him to get things back on track, great. If it doesn't, there's someone who beat him out for the job. Either way, the team benefits.
Who are viable options? Someone like Romo isn't going to want to go to a winner. The only way we're getting Garappalo is if McDaniels becomes head coach and it'll likely cost us a second round pick which will be very valuable and high especially for someone with such a small sample size. Can't think of any known commodities that'll help
It's a little tough to say in November. Let's see how the season plays out, and how the team reacts once we get to January. Who the head coach and GM are will be a huge factor, and then what options are available to upgrade the position.
I'm not necessarily an advocate for Romo. I think what it would require to bring him here would create an issue with trying to fix the one area that will absolutely need to be addressed for ANY QB. There are at least two spots on the offensive line that will need to be addressed. I think the LG and probably the RT positions will need to be given serious consideration for upgrades, and the draft this year is garbage for OL, so we'll have to spend in free agency to upgrade those spots. If the team were to go after Romo and put him beind the current line, his bones would turn to dust after a few games.
Bortles will start in 2017 and tank us to Lamar Jackson, the most dynamic QB prospect of the generation.
let's be real. DC picked Bortles. Bortles is his baby. He's going to be given at least one more season to turn it around. Whenever a GM is attached to a player, they usually keep that player around at least 1-2 seasons longer than they should.