Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Jaguars are planning to keep Blake Bortles in place as their starting quarterback for the 2018 season.
While there has been talk of the Jaguars possibly getting involved in the free agent quarterback market or considering a trade for a veteran like Alex Smith or Eli Manning, Rapoport says it’s his understanding that Bortles will be their quarterback next season.
On Monday, reports surfaced that Bortles underwent surgery on his right wrist for an injury he had been dealing with since December of 2016.
Last week, Bortles said he would “love” to be back in Jacksonville and continue his career with the team.
“I’ve enjoyed my four years in Jacksonville and I would love to play here for as long as they let me,” Bortles said, via the Florida Times-Union. “What they decide and all of the decisions they make are outside of my control.
“I would be thrilled to be able to stay here and play here. Hopefully that can happen.”
Bortles, 25, was taken with the No. 3 overall pick by the Jaguars back in 2014. He’s currently in the final year of his four-year, $20,654,796 rookie contract and stands to make a base salary of $3,236,565 for the 2017 season.
The Jaguars picked up his fifth-year option and will run them around $19,053,000 for the 2018 season. After that, Bortles will be a free agent in 2019.
In 2017, Bortles appeared in 16 games for the Jaguars and threw for 3,687 yards while completing 60.2 percent of his passes to go along with 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for 322 yards and two scores. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 18 quarterback out of 39 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding Bortles’ future with the Jaguars as the news is available.
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