Quote:Any prospective coach would know that he has a talented overall roster (that article itself said so), AND massive cap room, AND a very patient owner.   Bortles is in year 3 of his rookie deal, so it's not like a new coach would be hitched to him forever.   It's not like he has 5 years to go on a 6 year, $110 million deal.   There's no huge commitment to the guy, and there's no crippling cap hit that would come from moving on from him.  

 

Really this roster is in pretty good shape talent-wise, and very good shape cap-wise.   I don't see why this wouldn't be a very attractive situation for a prospective new head coach. 

We do have a substantial level of talent (at least on paper) on the roster... certainly more talent than our record would indicate. Deficiencies at key positions however have undermined the potential of this team. No need to point out the HC at this point; it's only too painfully obvious to everyone who haven't been living under a rock. It's our offensive line and our quarterback combination that is killing the potential of our offense that is loaded at running back and the receivers positions. I may also point out the our premier TE Julius Thomas isn't helping this team much either; it seems like after coming here he decided to just put the motor on 'cruise control', do his time and collect a paycheck. Thanks for nothing so far JT.

 

Bortles was drafted at #3 overall by Dave Caldwell... knowing he had deficiencies in his basic skills. That was a mistake by Dave Caldwell. So, Dave has selected a bad HC (unless Gus was never intended to be anything other than a 'sacrificial lamb' while the team was in rebuild mode) and a bad quarterback in Bortles. Let's face it, if the 'bottom line' is the 'bottom line' then we've been no better off with Bortles than we were with Blaine Gabbert... or even Chad Henne! At least Henne wasn't expected to be a star as a backup; he has never failed to live down to those expectations. Nevertheless, the combination of a bad HC with a bad 'franchise quarterback' is too much for any roster to overcome and can only lead to defeat and frustration for everyone... players and fans alike. It's a 'one/two combination that would kill any team.

 

Still, recovery isn't impossible; it's become pretty clear what the main problems are. They say that the first step in fixing any problem is to recognize the root source of the problem. We've added some nice talent to the roster but they've been like putting band-aids on a cancer; ultimately the cancer has to be removed/destroyed before recovery can begin. It's pretty clear that Gus won't (or at least shouldn't) be on the team after this season. He should probably be cut now... but that's a whole other discussion.

 

It may be in Bortles best interest to ride the bench the rest of the season and let one of the backups finish out the rest of the season; it's lost now anyway, so why let Bortles destroy his future as a NFL player by allowing him to bury himself so deeply in negative stats that no team will ever want to pick him up? He hasn't done many positive things for the Jags, but he's young and with proper coaching and time to develop he could eventually be a solid player.... just not for the Jags though. Yes, I think it's time to move on from the Bortles gamble and keep looking for a franchise quarterback; this time, one with solid fundamental skills and the mental game to go with it. I see Blake as no more than being a backup now. He has had his shot at glory and didn't cut it... much like Chad Henne.

 

We still need serious help on our o-line too. How many times does it have to be pointed out?

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