Quote:I see this exactly the same way.

 

It took that Dallas team about half the season to get its bearings, and then started playing well towards the end of the season.

 

One huge difference:  Aikman was in his second year, not his first.  Bortles will be in his rookie year. 

 

I think the team's eventual improvement from last year's 4-12 will be due to an improvement in the roster overall.

 

The real quantum leap-if Bortles is what the team thinks he is-will occur in 2015.

 

Edit:  As I consider that 1990 Dallas team, they had three future Hall of famers on the roster (Aikman, Emmitt, Irvin) and at least four other Pro Bowlers (Stepnoski, Ken Norton Jr, Johnston and Novacek).

 

They also played in a much stronger division than this year's Jaguars (1990 Giants won the Super Bowl, the Skins won the Super Bowl the next year, and the Eagles had quite possibly...probably...the best defense never to reach a Super Bowl.)

 

 

I wonder how many future Hall of Famers/Pro Bowlers are currently on our roster.

 

I'll go out on a not so limb and suggest that this draft will produce several at least pro bowl level players. I think at least Joeckel from last years. 

 

While I agree with you about the Aikman timing, its still Gus' second year, and 1990 was Jimmy's 2nd year. I think the comparison rides more about Jimmy's Cowboys/ Gus' Jaguars than Aikman/ Bortles....but I also won't discount that the QB is still a very intregal pice of the puzzle. 

---