Jaguars Could Target UFA TE
- The Jaguars‘ Blake Bortles extension, despite being an $18MM-AAV pact, doubles as a way for the team to seek more UFA help this offseason while looking in the draft for a developmental passer to possibly succeed the incumbent, Mike Kaye of First Coast News writes. Kaye notes a tight end would be high on the Jags’ list of possible upgrades via free agency. The Julius Thomas pact did not work out for the team, and Marcedes Lewis has one year left on his deal and would be entering his 13th season. Bortles’ deal being for low-end starter money would allow the team to draft a quarterback soon while Bortles either develops or flounders. That said, Jacksonville is taking a risk in the short term considering how close it was to its first Super Bowl berth and the limitations associated with a Bortles-led offense.
Franchise Tag Candidate: Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson is one of the top receivers in this year’s class of free agent wideouts, and while Robinson and the Jaguars have not engaged in contract talks, Jacksonville is reportedly open to hitting him with the franchise tag to keep him around for 2018.
Robinson presents an interesting case. He was fantastic in 2015, posting 80 catches for 1,400 yards and a whopping 14 touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. However, much of that production came when the Jags were trailing big and were forced to throw the football, often against soft coverages. He regressed in 2016, as he put up just 883 yards and six scores, and his 2017 campaign was wiped out by a torn ACL.
So what you have is an intriguing player in the prime of his career with tantalizing physical tools who is two years removed from his best season and who is coming off a major injury. He also struggled against press coverage in 2016, which certainly doesn’t help.
Nonetheless, he is the most gifted receiver on the Jags’ roster, and there would be at least a few teams willing to gamble on his upside if he hits the open market. Jacksonville knows that, and it also knows that it needs to surround Blake Bortles — who just signed an extension keeping him with the Jags through 2020 — with as much talent as possible. That explains why the Jags would be willing to pony up the $16MM franchise tender for a player with Robinson’s promising but questionable track record.
Fellow Jags wideout Marqise Lee is also set to hit free agency, and while he has been a solid contributor over the last several years, he is not nearly as talented as Robinson, and he, too, struggles against press coverage. So if the Jags are to let either player walk, it would likely be Lee. The other wideouts on the roster include the solid but unspectacular Allen Hurns, the unproven Dede Westbrook, and 2017 UDFA Keelan Cole.
There are plenty of intriguing wideouts in this year’s draft, but most of them are Day 2 types and may not be ready to contribute right away, and there are no other free agents that are not likely to be tagged who can match Robinson’s upside. The guess here is that Robinson plays out the 2018 season under the tag and that Jacksonville picks up a wideout in the second or third round to groom behind him.
Details On Blake Bortles' Contract, Wrist Prognosis
The big news of the weekend broke last night, when the Jaguars and Blake Bortles struck an extension that will keep the former No. 3 overall pick in Jacksonville through the 2020 campaign. Bortles was already under club control through the 2018 season thanks to the fifth-year option that the Jags had previously exercised, but the new deal — which includes a fairly modest amount of guaranteed money — will give Bortles the ability to realize his potential in Jacksonville while not precluding the team from pursuing other QB options if it needs to. Plus, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported this morning, Bortles’ cap number for 2018 will be reduced from the $19MM fifth-year option number to just $10MM, thereby giving the Jags more room to work this offseason (Twitter link).
- Bortles played the entire 2017 campaign with a wrist injury, and he underwent surgery on the wrist after the season. Per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com, the injury consisted of a partially torn ligament on the outside of the wrist and inflammation on the top of it, but Bortles said he is on schedule in his recovery and expects to be cleared with no restrictions in early March. Given what transpired last night, the Jaguars are obviously comfortable with Bortles’ progress.
AFC Notes: Jaguars, Landry, Titans, Cuts
With Blake Bortles locked up through 2020, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco dives into the next biggest questions facing the Jaguars this offseason. DiRocco believes that providing Bortles with a game-changing receiver in the form of re-signing Allen Robinson should be the team’s first priority going forward. Robinson missed all of last season due to a torn left ACL.
While Jacksonville could look sign the 24-year-old wideout to a long-term deal, DiRocco speculates the team could also target a one-year incentive-laden deal for Robinson, similar to what the Eagles gave Alshon Jeffery last offseason before signing him to a four-year extension in December. A franchise tag is also an option for Robinson, with the wide receiver tag expected to be around $16MM.
That franchise tag becomes a lot more affordable now that the Jaguars aren’t on the books to pay Bortles $19MM next season. Fellow wideout Marqise Lee is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason as well. Other spots on the roster DiRocco believes the team needs to address is adding another pass-catching tight end to work with Marcedes Lewis and adding an interior lineman, with Andrew Norwell, Justin Pugh and Josh Sitton serving as options in free agency.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali, Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan, Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib and others were identified by the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin as players who could be cut in cap-saving measures this offseason.
- The Titans are set to unveil new uniforms for the upcoming season at a festival in Nashville on April 4, the team announced in a release. The team did reveal its new logo Saturday for the upcoming season, which is set to commemorate the franchise’s 20th season since moving to Tennessee from Houston.
- Florida Football Insiders wonders whether Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry is giving signs that he may not be with the team for much longer, despite being designated with the team’s franchise tag earlier this week. While purely speculative, Landry’s official website has been taken down, and before that, his official merchandise on the site had been priced down, signaling it may be lesser in value in the near future. These items should certainly be taken with a grain of salt but could help piece together the puzzle on whether Landry will be back with the Dolphins, or if they’re planning to ship him out via trade before long.
Jaguars Sign Blake Bortles Through 2020
The Jaguars look to be out of the market for a quarterback agreeing to a three-year, $54MM contract extension with Blake Bortles, which includes $26.5MM guaranteed and could reach $66.5MM in total with incentives. The team confirmed the move Saturday night (Twitter link).
“Blake’s growth and development last season was a key to the success we had as a team,” said Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin said in a team release. “Blake has proven, with toughness and dependability, that he can be the leader this team needs going forward. Along with this contract come high expectations that he will continue to improve and help our team accomplish its ultimate goal.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the terms of the deal and ESPN colleague Josina Anderson first reported that the two sides were working on a deal. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was first to report the deal could be done as early as Saturday night.
With the incentives in the deal, Bortles could make up to $22.5MM annually over the next three seasons. Without the incentives in place, the deal would net Bortles $18MM per year, placing him right behind Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill ($19.25MM) in average annual salary. The 49ers made Jimmy Garoppolo the highest paid player in the NFL on average annually this offseason at $27.5MM.
Bortles, 25, was already under contract with the Jaguars for 2018 and was due to make $19MM as the team picked up his fifth-year non-guaranteed option last May. But Bortles’ reported new deal will keep him in Jacksonville through 2020 and eliminates a team from a crowded group that’ll be seeking new quarterbacks this offseason.
Schefter points out that the extension gives the Jaguars a chance to see if Bortles can flourish into the player they imagined when they selected him third overall in 2014. It also gives them an extended chance to seek out other long-term options at quarterback with Bortles under contract. ESPN’s Field Yates also identified that Bortles is the first player from the 2014 draft class to receive an extension. Players such as Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald and Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack could join Bortles in that aspect in the near future.
The Jaguars made it to the AFC Championship last season with Bortles under center and were winners of the AFC South, snapping a nine-year postseason drought, but he’s dealt with consistency issues throughout his career. Bortles has started all 16 games in each of the last three seasons for the Jaguars. He threw a career-low 13 interceptions in last year’s regular season while completing a career-best 60.2% of his passes. Bortles also underwent right wrist surgery this offseason, confirming the move Saturday (Twitter link), with the injury reportedly affecting him starting in December 2016.
As for as the receiving corps Bortles will be working with, top targets Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson are both set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. The team still has the likes of Allen Hurns and Dede Westbrook under contract for next year, along with tight end Marcedes Lewis.
Coughlin-Caldwell Split Rumored In 2017
After their most successful season this century, the Jaguars are firmly committed to their power structure. The Tom Coughlin/Dave Caldwell/Doug Marrone triumvirate is now signed through 2021 after the extensions announced Friday, and this season looks to have played a key part in Shad Khan‘s decision. The owner approached his top staffers about these extensions shortly after the Jags’ AFC championship game loss to the Patriots, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports.
For Caldwell, this marks the second two-year extension in as many offseasons. The GM signed one in January 2017 on the same day he was stripped of some of his decision-making abilities, but he’ll continue to work with Coughlin for the foreseeable future. This comes after some in league circles believed Coughlin would attempt to push Caldwell out of the picture, per O’Halloran, if last season did not go well. In particular, Blake Bortles‘ play was key in this scenario, O’Halloran writes. Caldwell had overseen four straight losing seasons since taking over the Jags’ reins in 2013.
Jaguars Considering Free Agent QBs
Equipped with a defense that nearly led the way to the franchise making its first Super Bowl appearance, the Jaguars are set for an interesting few weeks regarding their quarterback situation.
Blake Bortles has a critical physical coming up in March. If the quarterback who underwent wrist surgery shortly after the AFC championship game cannot pass it, his fifth-year option becomes guaranteed. But if he does, the Jags can shed Bortles’ $19MM 2018 salary free of charge.
And that would open the door to the team looking for an upgrade on the market. The team is exploring its options with UFA quarterbacks, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
The Jags potentially entering the Kirk Cousins race could change that pursuit’s dynamic, with the AFC South champions armed with a top-flight defense and presenting the kind of winning situation Cousins covets. A.J. McCarron, Sam Bradford and, as of now, Case Keenum could be options as well. Keenum, though, is also a franchise tag candidate in Minnesota.
A recent report emerged indicating the Jaguars were planning to keep Bortles as their starter for a fifth year, and that would support the organization’s decision to put off a surgery — one reportedly known to be needed last offseason — until recently. And Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets the “actively exploring” phrase might be a bit strong for what the Jags are currently doing regarding the quarterback market.
Bortles’ fifth-year option becomes guaranteed if he’s on the roster by March 14, Day 1 of free agency, so the legal tampering period (March 12-14) could be a chance for the team to explore options with its incumbent starter still on the roster as insurance. That would be a tricky situation to balance, but a Jaguars quarterback upgrade could make them a threat to unseat the Patriots come January.
Jaguars Extend Coughlin, Marrone, Caldwell
The Jaguars have locked up executive vice president Tom Coughlin, GM Dave Caldwell, coach Doug Marrone with new two-year extensions, according to a team announcements. The fresh deals will keep all three men in place through the 2021 season. 
Coughlin, pictured here in his best gardening gear, joined Jacksonville last January. The Jags proceeded to shock the world by going from a 3-13 record in 2016 to 10-6 in 2017 and nearly defeating the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. This year, the Jaguars will look improve on their success and reach their first ever Super Bowl.
“The decision to extend the contracts of Tom, Dave, and Doug isn’t so much a reward for last season, which no doubt was impressive, as it is to recognize their important to our football team this coming season and for years to follow,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “We’re past celebrating the accomplishments of our division title and playoff run, and now it’s time to take the next step. We need the right leadership firmly in place to make that happen, and it’s good to know that we’ll have that with Tom, Dave, and Doug secure in their roles with the Jacksonville Jaguars.”
Marrone initially joined the Jaguars as their assistant head coach/offensive line coach in 2015 on Gus Bradley‘s staff. Marrone was appointed as the team’s interim head coach when Bradley was canned near the end of the season and had his interim tag removed on the same day that Coughlin was hired. Marrone wasn’t necessarily the sexiest choice after his awkward exit from Buffalo a few years back, but he was clearly the right pick.
Caldwell remains the team’s GM, but Coughlin has final say over the team’s 53-man roster. Coughlin reportedly did not ask for total roster control when he signed on last year, but Khan strongly felt that it was the right move. For his part, Caldwell has been a good sport about the structural change.
“I think Dave’s done a great job on talent, but he’s a young guy. I think he can learn lot from Tom. There might be a natural human emotion [from Caldwell] of, ‘Gee …’ but I think if you look at what’s best for the Jaguars, I think this is the structure,” Khan said last winter. “Dave gets to do the talent, and I think he’s worked hard. It’s, ‘How do we get more wins?’”
Jaguars Cut RB Chris Ivory
On Friday, the Jaguars announced the release of Chris Ivory. The running back spent the last two years with the Jaguars. 
In March of 2016, the Jags signed Ivory to a five-year deal worth $32.5MM with $10MM guaranteed. It seemed like a reasonable signing at the time since the Jaguars were armed with tons of camp space and Ivory was coming off of a 1,000+ yard, seven-touchdown season with the Jets.
Unfortunately, things did not pan out. Ivory missed considerable time in his first season with Jacksonville and averaged just 3.4 yards per carry in his most recent campaign. His performance made for an easy call this offseason. The Jaguars are eating $3.25MM in dead money, but they’re also saving $3.69MM by dropping him.
Ivory will turn 30 in March and no longer profiles as an RB1 type. However, he could draw interest from teams looking for depth at the position.
In related moves, the Jags also waived rookie defensive back Jarrod Harper, rookie running back I’Tavius Mathers and second-year wide receiver Larry Pinkard.
No Contract Talks Between Jaguars, Allen Robinson
The Jaguars have not engaged in contract talks with pending free agent receiver Allen Robinson since last year’s training camp, according to Mike Kaye of First Coast News (Twitter link).
Jacksonville would like to retain Robinson, and is reportedly open to using the franchise tag to keep him in town. The franchise tender would also give the Jaguars the opportunity to keep Robinson — who is recovering from a torn ACL — for one more year without being forced to commit for the long-term. A franchise tag for a wide receiver is expected to cost more than $16MM in 2018.
“It’s not like one of those things where it happened at the end of the year,” Robinson said when discussing his ACL tear, which occurred in the 2017 season opener. “I’ll be cleared well before the season starts and well before training camp. Every team across the league knows what I’ve done in this league and what I’m capable of so that’s not really an issue.”
Robinson broke out during the 2015 campaign (his second in the NFL) by posting 80 receptions, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. The next year was something of a down season, although he still managed 73 catches.