I've long heard about his arm getting tired near the end of the season, but Caldwell's description of how his arm was practically dead is news to me. I thought they cut him back to a conservative passing game due to his INTs early on because his stats wend down dramatically when the INTs stopped, but now it sounds like this may have been more a result of his arm tiring out. Only, the INTs stopped, etc, about mid-season...not the end of the season. I'm now wondering if his arm was tired for nearly the entire second half of the season, and then flat out dead by December. They'll need to seriously monitor his reps if this is the case.

I think Caldwell's overstating. Imaginably, the volume of work in the NFL vs. college jolted the QB and put a strain in his arm as the season went on. It was an adjustment period. Not sure what dead arm means. His arm got progressively tired as he adjusted. He's now hopefully being 'won', if you may, and should see less of this effect with better conditioning, technique and awareness of the rigors of his new job.

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Success is a journey, not a destination.  Go all out Mighty Jaguars.

If we don't see measurable and visual improvement in Blake Bortles play by season's end, we should be looking for someone to at least compete for the job.

 

I hope and expect we will see a considerable step up from him.  Last year was the typical Jaguars..  his talents were not enhanced by the supporting cast (mostly coaching).  Lots of Qb's have crummy O-lines among other handicaps.

 

The team is on his shoulders.  Either he can handle it, or not.  And we will know by season's end.  The top tier Qb's all demonstrate playmaking ability, and the ability to make something out of nothing.  I think he can do it, but I have concerns he just doesn't have the life experience at the position to make the natural long throws, or the touch passes such as the fade or screen as a method to relieve the ever-present blitz pressure.

 

More than one capable Qb is an essential with the 16 game schedule.  Henne is a liability, and is likely hurting BB's development.

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If we don't see measurable and visual improvement in Blake Bortles play by season's end, we should be looking for someone to at least compete for the job.

 

 

I agree. Maybe even via veteran trade, a la the Foles and Sanchez's of the NFL.

 

But I don't think we can give up completely on Bortles after just 2 seasons.

Some guys are gonna take a little time to get used to NFL. MOST guys. Most aren't Manning, or Luck... or even Russel Wilson. 

 

Some guys land in favorable and better overall rosters.

 

But I agree with the notion that by season's end we should have a pretty good idea of who Bortles is and who he can become for the Jaguars. 

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Does it worry you that they haven't tried hard to hype up the improvement Bortles has made going into his 2nd year especially after a dismal rookie performance?

I guess we will have to wait and see in less than 10 weeks from now....


I think much less will be asked by him this year than last with more run plays being called and short quick pass plays to limit the amount he is sacked.

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Does it worry you that they haven't tried hard to hype up the improvement Bortles has made going into his 2nd year especially after a dismal rookie performance?

I guess we will have to wait and see in less than 10 weeks from now....

I think much less will be asked by him this year than last with more run plays being called and short quick pass plays to limit the amount he is sacked.

What do they need to hype? Every off season article talks about Bortles and how much progress he has and is making. He was listed on Making The Leap. Brunell mentioned something about him being a leader.


What more do you want them to say?

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IT WAS ALWAYS THE JAGS

Does it worry you that they haven't tried hard to hype up the improvement Bortles has made going into his 2nd year especially after a dismal rookie performance?

I guess we will have to wait and see in less than 10 weeks from now....

I think much less will be asked by him this year than last with more run plays being called and short quick pass plays to limit the amount he is sacked.

Do you live under a rock?

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Does it worry you that they haven't tried hard to hype up the improvement Bortles has made going into his 2nd year especially after a dismal rookie performance?

I guess we will have to wait and see in less than 10 weeks from now....

I think much less will be asked by him this year than last with more run plays being called and short quick pass plays to limit the amount he is sacked.

Dismal. Ah that's an accurate word for his rookie season.


I agree it's odd that there isn't more hype. Especially with gus potentially being on the hot seat. Rumors would only be natural about how 'wow' Bortles looks.

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Dismal. Ah that's an accurate word for his rookie season.


I agree it's odd that there isn't more hype. Especially with gus potentially being on the hot seat. Rumors would only be natural about how 'wow' Bortles looks.

 

 

 

By season's end his stats were dismal, but watching him we know he can be so much more. That said, the whole "dead arm" concerns me, and I'm wondering what lengths they'll go to limit how much he throws.

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'02

Could the entire offense have hit the rookie wall after the London game. With rookie wrs, qbs, lineman, they all struggled in the second have staying consistent. Most of our memories are from the beginning to mid season... ie hurns, arob, bb5.

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Does it worry you that they haven't tried hard to hype up the improvement Bortles has made going into his 2nd year especially after a dismal rookie performance?

I guess we will have to wait and see in less than 10 weeks from now....

I think much less will be asked by him this year than last with more run plays being called and short quick pass plays to limit the amount he is sacked.

No

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This whole thing is probably Dave's fault for the route he went in rebuilding the team

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I think much less will be asked by him this year than last with more run plays being called and short quick pass plays to limit the amount he is sacked.

I agree with this, at least early in the season.

 

If the OLine proves it can successfully protect I think we'll see it opened up more after the first quarter of the season.

But we can only lean on a lot of run plays if the OLine opens the holes and Yeldon and Drob make it happen.

 

A lot more hinges on a successful season than Bortles being better or not having "dead arm"

 

That being said, I think it is being overblown... the "dead arm" thing.

I'm willing to bet a lot of rookies actually deal with a sore arm by the end of their first season... it just usually isn't given as an excuse. (I would have just kept that in house myself)

 

They do throw a lot of unnecessary balls through all the scouting processes. And if you start a whole season, you've essentially had no off time from two seasons.

All that being said... there should be 0 excuses this season.

I'm one of the more patient fans. I was patient with DG, and BG.... But Bortles has already shown more than both of those guys, to a certain degree. He has a certain aura and manner that carries well. 

I'm not worried about Bortles at all. But with the perceived improvement to the team.. he should in the very least, not be the reason we lose games. (A la Miami last season)

 

I still think the biggest area of concern, until visible improvement is shown, is the Oline. EVERYTHING hinges on them opening holes and protecting longer than 1.6 seconds.

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As a baseball pitcher I understand the "dead arm"concern. He needed a break. Nothing was wrong internally. He probably threw it out sometime in the season and never got rest to heal it so it was thrown out part of the season. We would know if something was wrong with his arm. He no doubt hurt but I don't think there is any need to worry. Arm injuries are common when you throw that much and probably needed rest and now that hes got it they are saying hes slinging it in practice.

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I think the issue just lies in being a rookie. The guys basically play year round and train year round their first year from getting drafted into playing in the nfl with a college season, combine, pro days, rookie camp, otas, training camp, preseason, regular season. There is no break that first year.


This isn't to much of an issue to me. Lately many rookies have talked about these extended rookie seasons. He will be fine going forward having adequate rest the remainder of his career.

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I agree it's odd that there isn't more hype. Especially with gus potentially being on the hot seat. Rumors would only be natural about how 'wow' Bortles looks.

Lowering expectations maybe?

 

I wouldn't read too much into it.  All the talk and the rumors surrounding practice really mean nothing anyway. Opening day will tell the story.

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When you get into the endzone, act like you've been there before.

Does anyone remember all the stories about how Gabbert was really wowing everyone in the offseason?

 

Haha.

 

I think we are a bit gunshy saying anything overly positive based on that alone.

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Does it worry you that they haven't tried hard to hype up the improvement Bortles has made going into his 2nd year especially after a dismal rookie performance?

 

If they were propping Bortles up in underwear practices, this board would have a field day.

 

Let's just wait to see how it all looks in TC and preseason....

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If they were propping Bortles up in underwear practices, this board would have a field day.

 

Let's just wait to see how it all looks in TC and preseason....

 

He looked like a superstar in the preseason last season.

 

So I'd hesitate to even judge much off of that.

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;

;

He looked like a superstar in the preseason last season.

 

So I'd hesitate to even judge much off of that.

I wouldn't go so far as to say Superstar lol

He looked far and away better than Henne....

 

but that's where I'd draw the line. He flashed early and teams eventually got enough tape on him.

 

If he looks good in preseason, it'll at least give us hope that he isn't regressing lol

But I was referring more to any "reports" that he looks good, would be taken better outside of underwear practices and when the bullets (albeit rubber ones) start flying in TC and Preseason.

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I think he's got the makings to be a Big Ben type QB. He flashed it at UCF and he flashed it as a rookie. He dropped some weight this off-season. He obviosuly isn't afraid of pressure and he stepped up this off-season to get his chemistry and mechanics better. I think he can finish in the top 16 QB's overall statistically this year under Olson. And as long as we can run the football and give our defense enough rest inbetween sets. He'll be fine.

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."