When the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted QB Blake Bortles third overall in this year's draft, their plan was a lot different than for any other 1st round quarterback. Normally, if a team drafts a QB early in the draft, they either expect them to start right away (Stafford, Sanchez, Bradford), or at least compete for the starting job (Manziel, Bridgewater). The Jaguars drafted Bortles expecting him to sit on the sidelines this season, learn from the starter Chad Henne, and prepare to become their quarterback for possibly the 2015 season, rather than this season. They know he had a lot of success at UCF in college, including winning the AAC championship and the Fiesta Bowl, but they did not think he was NFL ready. They felt that he still had a lot to learn, and backing up Henne would help him develop. So as the plan stated, Henne started the first two preseason games with the starters, followed by Bortles with the second-string. Henne was a combined 16/24, 160 YDS, 1 TD, and 0 INT. Meanwhile, Bortles has gone a combined 18/28, for 277 yards, and never turning the ball over. His mobility has been tremendous thus far, not known for using his feet, but has been able to scramble out of pressure to give himself more time. He has also shown great accuracy, able to get the balls to his receivers who are battling a defender or two. He showed most of the mobility in week 1 against the Buccaneers, with the accuracy shining last night against the Bears. The combination of the two has changed the minds, and the plans, of the coaching staff in Jacksonville. Fans and football experts have questioned the Jaguars' blueprint for Bortles, and now the rookie QB has his coaching staff scratching their heads. That was proven today when the team announced that Bortles would be taking first-team reps in both practice, and the third preseason game against the Lions. The third preseason game has been known as the most important preseason game where most competitions are won, and the starters play the longest. It hasn't been announced whether Bortles will start over Henne, but he will see the field with the starters. When Bortles first arrived at camp, this was nowhere near a competition. Now, he has not only made it a competition, but a competition that he seems to be winning. Blake Bortles has forced the coaches to scratch the old blueprint, but he must remain consistent in the most important preseason game of the year, but judging from the first 2 games, he is ready to start now.
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