After a brutal 2016 season, Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback Blake Bortles’ future as the team’s starting quarterback was left in a sort of limbo, especially with a brand new regime implanted in the organization.
Bortles, the former No. 3 overall pick, has spent this offseason trying to work on his flawed mechanics in hopes of reviving his career and keeping his post as the franchise quarterback in Jacksonville, who could be ready to move on if he does not improve in 2017.
“The first week, it wasn’t pretty,” Bortles said about his progress, via Jacksonville.com. “It didn’t look good. Part of trying to change things is it won’t be great (right away). But we were able to hash it out.”
Bortles knows that he is under pressure to perform, to progress and to be the franchise quarterback that the struggling franchise is hoping he can be.
“It’s huge,” Bortles said, via ESPN.com. “It’s as big as however you want it to be, but regardless we’ve got to be here on April 10th and we’ve got to show up for camp in August and eventually they’re going to start playing football games, so I think all that’s stuff’s irrelevant.
“I’m confident with what I’ve done this offseason and that I’ll be able to come help this team be as good as we possibly can be. Everything involving the contract, that’s up to them. I look forward to playing football.”
The Jags have until May to decide if they will pickup Bortles’ 5th-year option, so the clock is ticking for the soon-to-be 25 year old to turn things around. Bortles needs to play more like the player who threw for 4,428-yards and 35-touchdowns in 2015 and not revert to the player who struggled mightily during a 3,905-yard, 23-touchdown campaign in 2016.
This is truly a make-or-break season for Bortles.