(01-19-2018, 12:52 PM)jagsfan1983 Wrote:

(01-19-2018, 11:59 AM)Upper Wrote: I should clarify again as I have in many other threads but maybe not this one. I am ok with Bortles on the 5th year option and drafting a QB as high as possible, hopefully in a trade up if a good prospect starts slipping like Mahomes/Watson did last year. I don't think it's as good as signing Cousins or trading for Smith (while also drafting QB early), but it's an ok option. I am not ok with giving Bortles an extension and drafting a mid round long shot QB to develop as has been suggested by many in this thread.

I'm not sure Cousins is a guaranteed upgrade. In his 25 and 26 year old seasons he threw for 14 touchdowns and 16 interceptions with a QB rating of 74.3. Even this season (29 years old) his Total QBR was lower than Bortles. 0-2 in the playoffs with a rating lower than Bortles. Bortles is also without a #1 receiver and or a decent tight end. Could Cousins turn out better than Bortles going forward? Maybe, but it is far from a certainty. People get on Bortles for turning it over. His career INT % is 2.9. Kirk Cousins at age 26 had a career 4.7% INT %.

He started 3 and 5 games respectively in his age 25 and 26 seasons because they hadn't committed to him with RG3 in the way until the following season which was his 4th season and a contract year.  They didn't have a 5th year option because he wasn't a 1st rounder.  They've since tagged him twice because they needed to see more before committing to him.  I'm fine with throwing out Bortles' prior seasons, but Cousins is a prime example why Bortles shouldn't and probably won't get the long term deal yet, unless he is the reason we go on and win the Super Bowl and even then the smart thing to do is probably let it play out next year under the option.  He's played well and been the reason we've won a few times this season, but the vast majority of Jaguars victories this season were defensively led victories that a lot of QBs could've coasted to victory with.  Most of our losses, however, were due to the offense and Bortles.  If Cousins were on this team this year, I have little doubt we'd have been the 1 or 2 seed.  

Cousins has had 3 really good seasons as a starting QB.  Even this year when they let all his receivers walk and Jordan Reed spent most of the season injured, he put up a much more impressive statistical season than Bortles has had.  Cousins has absolutely earned whatever the size of the mega contract he's going to get this offseason.  If he winds up getting tagged again it's because he just wants out of Washington altogether which may be the case based on things that were said last offseason when he was tagged.  It won't be because Washington needs to see more.  He's clearly a franchise guy by any objective measure.  I don't know how any Jags fan (or the front office) can look at the entire picture of Bortles' career and not need to see more before locking him up.  The only explanation is it's the exuberance of where we are right now, playing in an AFC title game.

You really have to dig deep cherry picking stats and specific seasons as Cousins not being the full time starter to make Blake's stats look better than Cousins'.  That whole exercise should tell you everything you need to know about Cousins right there.  Blake may well play himself into being here long term and have the front office not give a 2nd thought about pursuing Cousins or anyone else, but any rational fan needs to see more before the long term deal makes sense and we already have him here next year regardless of what happens unless the front office chooses to part ways with him.  And we have him here the year after if need be with the tag.  If the team identifies a guy as a franchise QB, they will have no problem paying him handsomely.  You don't identify a guy as "the guy" and pay him as such based on a few games though, especially when you already have him under contract for further evaluation.  The 5th year option was designed for this specific scenario.

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