The Jacksonville Jaguars have a few months to decide whether or not they will pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Blake Bortles and according to the former 1st-round draft pick, he has no idea what the team will decide to do.
“I have no idea,” Bortles said, via Jacksonville.com. “I honestly couldn’t tell you if it’s a good thing or a bad thing if it’s picked up or not. I’ll play football here in Jacksonville for as long as they want me to, so hopefully I’m allowed to do that.”
Bortles had a wonderful and promising 2015 season but put forth a dreadful 2015 that forced many to question if the quarterback had regressed.
It may be telling that the Jags, who are undergoing a search for their next head coach, have apparently made it clear that any new head coach or regime that comes in won’t be obligated to play Bortles, according to this report.
“I do still believe in Blake very much,” general manager Dave Caldwell said. “But the head coach will have a lot of input into who the quarterback will be.”
“I would encourage a different kind of perspective. I want the right perspective,” Caldwell said, adding of Bortles: “I know we’re very close to him and we hold him in high regard in terms of what we think his capabilities are. I still believe he has a very high ceiling, but I want to be realistic about it, too.”
“Blake, yeah, he does have to play better, but we also have to play better around him, too.”