The Jacksonville Jaguars, the reigning AFC South Champions, announced the re-signing of their quarterback, Blake Bortles, to a three year contract:
Jaguars are giving QB Blake Bortles a new three-year, $54 million deal, worth up to $66.5M with incentives, that includes $26.5M guaranteed, tying him to Jacksonville through the 2020 season, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 25, 2018
Jacksonville out of QB market.
Over the next few days, you’re probably going to read a hefty bunch of takes about how this is a good/bad/weird signing for the Jaguars. Instead of weighing in on the merits of the signing, I would like pose a hypothetical question for you to debate.
In this hypothetical scenario, you are the general manager of a team with a hole at the quarterback position. For example, you are the general manager of one of the following teams:
You have to come out of this offseason with a quarterback to start the 2018 NFL season. Kirk Cousins and Drew Brees highlight the free agent quarterback market, along with a variety of other trade possibilities, such as Tyrod Taylor. You also have a first round pick in a draft that features the talents of Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, all of whom have been considered first round prospects.
For the purpose of this hypothetical, assume the Jaguars opted to decline Bortles’ fifth-year option and showed no sign of wanting to keep him.
As the general manager of one of the teams listed above, wouldyou attempt to sign Bortles over any of the other options available to you? Would you take the known quantity of Bortles over any of the potential first round quarterbacks in the 2018 NFL Draft?