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Tough to say what Jaguars have in Blake Bortles
Posted by Michael David Smith on December 19, 2014, 7:01 AM EST
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AP
Blake Bortles’s rookie season has not gone according to plan.

When Jacksonville took Bortles with the third overall pick in the NFL draft, the plan was to sit him for the entire year. But the Jaguars were so bad early this season with Chad Henne as the starter that the coaches decided at halftime of Week Three that they had no choice but to bench Henne and see what Bortles could do.

It’s never a good sign when a team has to abandon its plans for developing the franchise quarterback after only 10 quarters, but the good news for Jacksonville should be that it has almost an entire season of tape on which to evaluate Bortles. The problem, however, is that from watching Bortles play, it’s tough to say what the Jaguars have in him.

In last night’s win over the Titans, Bortles showed some progress: He led two 11-play drives that ended in touchdowns, he didn’t have any turnovers, and he used his feet effectively, running for 50 yards and generally doing a good job of avoiding the pass rush despite not getting much protection.

However, Bortles also had a season-low 115 passing yards, a season-low 4.4 yards a pass and a season-low completion rate of 50 percent last night. As his rookie season wears on, Bortles seems to be throwing shorter passes and throwing the ball away more often. The result is that his interceptions are way down (he has just two picks in the last four games after having 12 picks in his first six games), but his yardage is down too, and we’re not seeing him throw downfield successfully. And Bortles’s big arm was one of the main reasons he was viewed as a strong prospect.

The Jaguars’ entire offense has been a mess this season, with a bad line and injuries at running back and wide receiver. As a result, you can hardly blame Bortles for the way he’s become a safe and at times overly cautious quarterback down the stretch. But you also can’t really evaluate Bortles. He’ll be the Jaguars’ starting quarterback next year, but the Jaguars really don’t know if he’s a franchise quarterback they can rely on for years to come.
 
NFL Films guru Greg Cosell believes Blake Bortles "got into some bad habits" as a rookie, and the Jaguars "probably need to start over with him with the basics."

This was the fear when Bortles was coming out of UCF. He was extremely raw, drawing comparisons from as low as Jake Locker to as high as Andrew Luck. He looked like a Locker clone as a rookie, showing plus athleticism with long bouts of inconsistent accuracy. New Jaguars OC Greg Olson has a strong background in developing quarterbacks, and he gets yet another project in Bortles. The 23-year-old should benefit from a full offseason.
 
FOX Sports' Alex Marvez reports "lots of folks" inside the NFL are "optimistic" suspended WR Justin Blackmon will return to the Jaguars in 2015.

Just as Josh Gordon's Dynasty league owners get the worst news possible, Blackmon's get a ray of hope. The Jaguars hope to have an update on Blackmon's progress before May's draft, at which point they can begin planning for the 2015 season. Blackmon remains "suspended indefinitely," with no concrete date for potential reinstatement. At Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell's season-ending presser this past December, he said he'd "heard some good things" about Blackmon's recovery from substance abuse. Blackmon turned 25 two weeks ago. His return would be a huge boost for beleaguered Blake Bortles.
 

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Shad Khan “very optimistic” about Justin Blackmon returning in 2015
Posted by Josh Alper on January 30, 2015, 2:48 PM EST
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AP
It’s been a long time since wide receiver Justin Blackmon has played a game for the Jaguars, but owner Shad Khan thinks that will change in 2015.

During an interview with the Florida Times-Union, Khan was asked whether he would welcome Blackmon back to the team. Khan said that he would and that he feels good about the wideout’s chances of playing for the team next season.

“Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I’m very optimistic. I think he’s paid his dues. I think he’s got his life together. I think he can be a role model for people who have gone through hard times. We’re waiting for him,” Khan said.

Blackmon is free to apply to the league for reinstatement from his substance-abuse suspension. He’s spent time in a treatment program since being suspended and recently pleaded no contest to marijuana possession charges related to an arrest last July. Once Blackmon applies, the league has 60 days to make a decision.
 
Jaguars rookie S James Sample (broken arm) won't resume practicing until mid to late August.

Sample's absence from most of camp will all but eliminate his chances of opening the season as Jacksonville's starting free safety. That job will now go to career special teamer Sergio Brown. The Jaguars have had an awful run of luck since compiling one of this year's most-impressive draft classes, losing Dante Fowler to an ACL tear and now Sample to a fractured arm.

Source: Ryan O'Halloran on Twitter
 
GG said:
Jaguars rookie S James Sample (broken arm) won't resume practicing until mid to late August.

Sample's absence from most of camp will all but eliminate his chances of opening the season as Jacksonville's starting free safety. That job will now go to career special teamer Sergio Brown. The Jaguars have had an awful run of luck since compiling one of this year's most-impressive draft classes, losing Dante Fowler to an ACL tear and now Sample to a fractured arm.

Source: Ryan O'Halloran on Twitter
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Least its a bone and not a ligament.
 
Jaguars WR Marqise Lee (hamstring) is targeting the third preseason game to make his return.

In other words, he isn't going to play in either of Jacksonville's first two preseason games, and "may" play in the regular season dress rehearsal. At this point, Lee stands very little chance at passing Allen Hurns before Week 1.


Source: Ryan O'Halloran on Twitter
 
ESPN Jaguars reporter Mike DiRocco said the Jaguars will ease T.J. Yeldon in early in the season.

"The Jaguars are going to divide carries among the backs," DiRocco said, "and slowly increase Yeldon's workload throughout the season." Yeldon missed the Jaguars' opening preseason game with a sprained finger, and DiRocco said Toby Gerhart and Denard Robinson have seen more first-team reps than Yeldon early in training camp. The injury is not considered serious, however, and all reports out of camp have been glowing for the rookie back. Yeldon should establish himself as the lead back sooner rather than later.

Source: ESPN.com
 
Jaguars SS Johnathan Cyprien will miss the rest of the preseason with a broken hand.

Cyprien suffered the injury in the Jaguars' preseason opener. It is similar to the injury Julius Thomas suffered in the same game, and both players are expected to miss the rest of the preseason. Cyprien has had an up-and-down career since being selected as the No. 33 overall pick in the 2013 draft, but he finished out 2014 strong.

Source: Ryan O'Halloran on Twitter
 

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Second-year CB Aaron Colvin has supplanted Demetrius McCray as the starter opposite Davon House.

Colvin is working as an outside corner in base sets and covering the slot in nickel. Injury concerns pushed Colvin to the fourth round last year, but he is a first-round talent who is apparently putting it on display in camp. He should offer a big boost to the Jaguars' pass defense.

Source: Florida Times Union
 
Jaguars cut QB Jeff Tuel, WR Tandon Doss, CB Tommie Campbell, S Desmond Cooper, TE Connor Hamlett, P/K Kasey Redfern, DE Camaron Beard, DT Eric Crume, OL Cody Booth, OL Jack Rummells, LB Khairi Fortt and LB Mister Alexander.

The Jags had until Tuesday to get their roster down to 75, but they decided to get it over with quickly. Jeff Tuel is the most famous name on this list. Tuel Time started one game for the Bills in 2013, the only start of his career. Khairi Fortt was a fourth-round pick of the Saints in 2014. A standout at both Penn State and Cal, Fortt has dealt with knee injuries since college.
Related: Jaguars
 
The Jaguars are sticking with K Jason Myers.

A third-year UDFA, Myers is a first-year starter. He's 7-of-10 on field goals, but has shanked two extra points. Flatly, he cost the Jags the game on Sunday. Either way, the Jags' kicking situation is far from the worst in the league. There isn't an obvious upgrade on the free agent market.


Source: Michael DiRocco on Twitter
 
GG said:
The Jaguars are sticking with K Jason Myers.

A third-year UDFA, Myers is a first-year starter. He's 7-of-10 on field goals, but has shanked two extra points. Flatly, he cost the Jags the game on Sunday. Either way, the Jags' kicking situation is far from the worst in the league. There isn't an obvious upgrade on the free agent market.


Source: Michael DiRocco on Twitter
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Myers is a bust. Missed 3 XP attempts so far. Jags needs to stop accepting mediocrity before than can become a decent team again.

Slowby Girlfart is another bust that somehow stays in the roster.

That said, you can build a formidable team around
Bortles
Robinson
Hurns
Yelden
 
Someone needs to give Gus the Bus one almighty Stone Cold stunner.

As a so called defensive coach, the Jags defence has gone:

2011-20.6 points per game
2012- 27.8 points per game
2013- 28.1 points per game
2014- 25.8 points per game
2015- 29.4 points per game

Bring in a decent coach and the Jags might just know what its like to play football in January.
 
Captivating said:
Someone needs to give Gus the Bus one almighty Stone Cold stunner.

As a so called defensive coach, the Jags defence has gone:

2011-20.6 points per game
2012- 27.8 points per game
2013- 28.1 points per game
2014- 25.8 points per game
2015- 29.4 points per game

Bring in a decent coach and the Jags might just know what its like to play football in January.
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He'll be gone this season.
 
If they can nail a good cb and and a safety in the first two rounds i'm excited at what might be possible next year.

This offense is getting better all the time and actually has a true stud wr on it and a decent rb.

About f...ing time too.
 
arakaan said:
If they can nail a good cb and and a safety in the first two rounds i'm excited at what might be possible next year.

This offense is getting better all the time and actually has a true stud wr on it and a decent rb.

About f...ing time too.
Click to expand...
Should be winning the division. Jason Myers and one or two others have a lot to answer for.
 
arakaan said:
If they can nail a good cb and and a safety in the first two rounds i'm excited at what might be possible next year.

This offense is getting better all the time and actually has a true stud wr on it and a decent rb.

About f...ing time too.
Click to expand...

The Allens, Bortles and Yeldon is a pretty damn good and very young offence! Exciting.
 
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