NFL Scouting Combine: “A decision for the future”

http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-Jagu...db69147ca1


Jaguars GM David Caldwell on recent contract extension for QB Blake Bortles: “He’s not a placeholder. … This was a decision for the future; this was about him being th

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What kind of GM would bash one of their guys by calling him a Placeholder. That would surely give the players a ton of warm and fuzzies is they just came out and said he sucked and they were going to replace him.

The contract Blake not only was offered, but accepted says all we need to know.

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What kind of GM would bash one of their guys by calling him a Placeholder. That would surely give the players a ton of warm and fuzzies is they just came out and said he sucked and they were going to replace him.

The contract Blake not only was offered, but accepted says all we need to know.

Yeah but I don't think there's another team in the league that would even offer Blake a contract like that. Blakes best asset is that he is likeable. There isn't a thing to hate on outside he can't throw a football. Everyone roots for the guy. We all want him to do well.

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What kind of GM would bash one of their guys by calling him a Placeholder. That would surely give the players a ton of warm and fuzzies is they just came out and said he sucked and they were going to replace him.

The contract Blake not only was offered, but accepted says all we need to know.

Yeah but I don't think there's another team in the league that would even offer Blake a contract like that. Blakes best asset is that he is likeable. There isn't a thing to hate on outside he can't throw a football. Everyone roots for the guy. We all want him to do well.

Yeah I think you're kidding yourself if you don't think there's another team in the NFL that would offer Blake a very team friendly contract.

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What kind of GM would bash one of their guys by calling him a Placeholder. That would surely give the players a ton of warm and fuzzies is they just came out and said he sucked and they were going to replace him.

The contract Blake not only was offered, but accepted says all we need to know.

Yeah but I don't think there's another team in the league that would even offer Blake a contract like that. Blakes best asset is that he is likeable. There isn't a thing to hate on outside he can't throw a football. Everyone roots for the guy. We all want him to do well.

Umm.... Did you see the deal Glennon got?

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What kind of GM would bash one of their guys by calling him a Placeholder. That would surely give the players a ton of warm and fuzzies is they just came out and said he sucked and they were going to replace him.

The contract Blake not only was offered, but accepted says all we need to know.

Yeah but I don't think there's another team in the league that would even offer Blake a contract like that. Blakes best asset is that he is likeable. There isn't a thing to hate on outside he can't throw a football. Everyone roots for the guy. We all want him to do well.

You haven't been paying attention to the league obviously

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Caldwell is lying through his teeth. Blake is clealry a placeholder for the next two years with the thought of a rookie taking over in 2020 being ideal.

That final 2020 is a paper year on the contract. He'll never see that money. If he's still good enough to continue on as the starter for 2020, they'll re-do the contract with another extension first. ...but the plan is obviously to replace him that year if feasible.

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'02

For real, that contract is the dictionary definition of a placeholder QB contract.

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Yeah but I don't think there's another team in the league that would even offer Blake a contract like that. Blakes best asset is that he is likeable. There isn't a thing to hate on outside he can't throw a football. Everyone roots for the guy. We all want him to do well.

You haven't been paying attention to the league obviously

I have. Someone else mentioned Glennon who got cut today and only cost 6M dead money going forward. Clearly was a 1 year bridge. Bortles got 3-54M. Not cuttable until 2020, and even if cut then will cost 5M against the cap. He is here for 2 years, and 2019 season his cap hit is 21M (16.5M dead) which will restrict the team in FA. Personally I don't see a team who would offer a similar contract. Name one? Browns? Why would they? Broncos? Why? The Jags did so because they basically have no choice. He is the best option for this upcoming season. At 29 overall they might be able to get a guy who needs to sit a year, but it's not a guarantee. If it was a guarantee they would have just gone with the 1 year option. No team would have competed for Bortles services as a starter, they know he needs a running offense and basic throws. I, as everyone, loves the guy as a person and I truly do pull for the guy. For the upcoming season he is the best chance to win, he knows the offense and understands what he needs to do. Every once and awhile we need to put down the teal glasses and be honest though.

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I would not call the contract a place-holder one, but rather a contract very attractive in terms of trade. A team trading for Bortles will see the cost up front. They won't have to negotiate anything anew.

How about Bortles to the Arizona Cardinals for a first round pick and Larry Fitzgerald?

How about Bortles to the Minnesota Vikings for a first round pick straight up?

I'd add a trade to the Denver Broncos for their first round pick, but I am not sure if John Elway is confident he can live with Bortles' style of play. John will like Blake's size. He will like Blake's mobility. He will like Blake's demeanor. He will not like Bortles' arm strength. What Elway will like is the tightly controlled way the Jaguars used Bortles during the playoff run. 

The problem is this is NOT the way Bortles wants to play football. When Blake took the ball in his hands with 2:48 left in the AFC title game, there was plenty of time. Instead the sense of urgency was somehow amplified when there was no need to panic.

There is no reason to trust what David Caldwell says. Caldwell drafted Blake Bortles pledging to not throw him to the wolves. 

I'm still sold on bringing in A. J. McCarron and giving him a crack at earning the starting QB job over Bortles outright. We can draft a QB to park on the bench. We can package picks and move up for Josh Allen, if you please.

However, McCarron was not allowed to compete for the starting QB in Cincy. There's a big difference between that and the accusations that A. J. couldn't beat Andy Dalton out.

The sample size on McCarron is therefore very limited. BUT what DID he do?

A. J. McCarron took over the Bengals' starting QB job after Andy Dalton threw a pick and injured his thumb as he tried to make the tackle. McCarron came in OFF THE BENCH. He was 22 of 32 passes for 280 yards. Two TD passes and two picks. One of the two TD tosses was a 66-yard laser to A. J. Green that traveled what must have been over forty yards - hitting Green in stride.

The AFC North was NOT clinched when A. J. stepped in. McCarron calmly went about his business finishing the Cincinnati season 2-1 with the division-clinching victory added to his resume. The loss was an over-time loss to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Denver Broncos. 

The last evidence there is on McCarron was the Wild Card game. McCarron handled the game well yet posted a goose egg in the first, second and third quarters. McCarron didn't give up. He rallied the Bengals in the fourth quarter to score 16 points...enough points to win his first playoff game.

However, two of Marvin Lewis' defensive thugs made bone-headed plays drawing two personal fouls allowing the Steelers to kick a game-winning FG.

So bring in McCarron. You really have to.

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Crack is a helluva drug.

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