The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback options remain open as the off-season churns along. Back during the regular season, a report came out that the team was moving on from Blake Bortles, as he was benched for backup Cody Kessler. Bortles played the final game of the regular season for Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback Options
Here we are in February, and Bortles is still on the roster. Should Jacksonville still decide to release, cut, or trade Bortles, where do they go from there? A few options are open, especially with the NFL Draft coming up in April.
Acquire Nick Foles
Nick Foles has been on the Jaguars’ radar for some time. The former Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning starter will soon be on the free agent market. Jacksonville is the likely destination. With that said, what would it take for the Jaguars to acquire the veteran quarterback? The Jags could give up a couple of draft picks from 2019 and beyond to get Foles. There was speculation that the team could even trade star running back Leonard Fournette, which would be an atrocious thing to do.
Acquiring Foles would be the best option at this point for Jacksonville. Bringing in a veteran to essentially win games in 2019 and help develop the younger guys would be a great asset to the team. But what about Bortles? If the Jags acquire Foles, do they keep Bortles to help him mature more and develop into a better player under the guidance of a veteran?
Draft The Next Franchise Quarterback
The 2019 NFL Draft is still over two months away. However, the Jaguars are likely looking that way to get their next franchise quarterback. When the team drafted Bortles in 2014, everyone thought he was the quarterback of the future in Duval. That hasn’t worked to the full extent, so the Jaguars are hoping to find their next great passer. A few options in the draft are available, especially in the first two rounds.
Dwayne Haskins is on top of every Jaguars fans’ list. Haskins played exceptionally well at Ohio State and would fit greatly into new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo’s scheme. Many think that Haskins is the next leader of the team, but only time will tell.
Kyler Murray could be the second option during the draft at quarterback. Though many claim he is more of a rushing quarterback, the highlight throws he made at Oklahoma are certainly something Jaguars fans would love to see on Sundays for the Black and Teal. Murray has all of the traits, but can he develop into a franchise quarterback?
Will Grier had a troubled college career, being kicked off the team at Florida then transferring to West Virginia. He led the Mountaineers to monumental wins and played well, especially in 2018. His Senior Bowl highlights weren’t great, but Grier is a quarterback the Jaguars could quickly develop into a franchise player.
Final Thoughts
The Jaguars quarterback options remain open for the time being. It all just depends on what the front office decides to do with what they have. Only time will tell if Jacksonville finds their franchise quarterback. Throughout the off-season, the team has many decisions to make.
