Jacksonville Jaguars: Bortles can’t surpass Gabbert failure

Head coach Gus Bradley has been adamant that veteran Chad Henne is the Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting quarterback. He’s been loyal in his stance dating back to March, well before Blake Bortles was selected third overall in May’s draft.

Bortles played with veteran moxie and illustrated physical capabilities far superior to Henne. His athleticism, instincts, accuracy, mobility, and arm strength have been on display all preseason, as they were at Central Florida. A successful 2013 college season permitted Bortles to forgo his senior year of eligibility. He led Central Florida to wins over ranked Louisville and Baylor for a conference title and major bowl victory.

He played 10 games as a freshman and started all of them in 2012 and 2013. Overall, the Florida native compiled an NFL-worthy resume. He went 22-5 as a starter, completed over 66% of his passes, and threw 56 touchdowns. In three years, Bortles never tossed more than nine interceptions.

Impressive decision-making and poise are characteristics not often associated with rookies, let alone rookie quarterbacks. Bortles doesn’t look his age (22), nor did he play like one this preseason. Succinctly put, he didn’t throw a pick in any of his drives.

Preseason games are critiqued with great discretion. There isn’t much intricate or scripted play-calling. Gameplan strategies are rudimentary, mundane, and vanilla both offensively and defensively.

Bortles did nothing except impress his coaches, opponents, and media analysts league-wide. He was 32-of-51 for 521 yards, two touchdowns, and a 110.0 rating. His exclamation point came in Jacksonville’s final preseason tune-up. Bortles connected with fellow rookie Marqise Lee for a 57-yard TD before exiting for good in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons.

It wouldn’t be the first occurrence of a rookie showing well in training camp or preseason, and still being rewarded with a clipboard and headset. Organizational creeds vary across the NFL landscape. From what he’s shown thus far, all signs point to Bortles’ confidence being unscathed against NFL defenses. He’s not in the same category as Chad Henne or Blaine Gabbert, who have had their chances in this league.

There is logic to Jacksonville’s decision when you consider their quarterback debacles in recent history. Gabbert was taken 10th overall in 2011. Veteran David Garrard was resolutely named the starter, only to be released a week before the season commenced. Gabbert was rattled, oft-injured, and didn’t have much help around him.

Nevertheless, he proved an inadequate NFL starting quarterback regarding his situation in Jacksonville. Who knows if sitting him behind Garrard would have improved his preparedness for NFL QB duties or not. He’s 24 years old now and didn’t show any glimpses this preseason as a San Francisco 49er.

Maybe it’s sensible in guarding Bortles’ psyche before throwing him to the wolves. But if the preseason is  a job interview, Bortles did his utmost to illustrate superior qualifications for the starting position.

General manager David Caldwell and coach Bradley are not linked to those past incidents. For all intensive purposes, they would like to forge their own inroads and become components who turn the Jags back into an affable franchise.

Harking back to the days of Mark Brunell and Tom Coughlin, or David Garrard and Jack Del Rio, which endeavored several years of playoff caliber football. Their selection of Bortles could stabilize a convoluted quarterback dilemma that has plagued the Jaguars since Garrard’s release.

The 29-year-old Henne wasn’t abhorrent this pre-season. He completed 25-of-38 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown. Compared to rookie Bortles, his numbers look optimistically mediocre. Henne’s case is further weakened because he’s unveiled a less than desirous seven-year NFL resume.

He’s 18-32 as a starter and has been picked off (62) more times than he’s thrown for scores (55). It’s not NFL starting quarterback material. At least not for a lengthy period of time. Bradley used Henne all of 2013 when Gabbert was lost for the season. The 29-year-old was a very good college quarterback at Michigan. He’s proven to be best suited as an NFL backup a la Don Strock, Charlie Batch, Jeff Hostetler, Steve Bono, or Earl Morrall (pick one or name another). That’s his ceiling. Cracking the pantheon of the NFL’s number two quarterbacks on a depth chart.

For a team that has gone 6-26 the past two years, it’s readily apparent the organization’s shambles hinge on Bortles’ capability. Whether it’s week one or week ten, Jacksonville doesn’t have much to lose from a private or public relations standpoint. The Gabbert disaster exemplified a nadir in rookie quarterback exploits. The rookie can only be as terrible as Gabbert. He can replicate his ineffective play, not exceed it. Judging by how well Bortles has played, it can be inferred he’s could be a polar opposite.

Jacksonville is a double-digit underdog to Philadelphia in week one. Starting Bortles over Henne isn’t going to reverse their odds of winning a road game to begin the 2014 season. There’s a finite manner to decipher whether Bortles is the guy or not. You have to play him. Clipboards, sideline hats, and ear pieces serve a limited purpose in the NFL. The Jaguars might as well get a preliminary start. Change your stance Mr. Bradley. Nobody should view you with reproach for playing a deserving rookie.