Blake Bortles will get first team reps, admits Gus Bradley

Even though on the field, Blake Bortles appears to be surpassing Chad Henne as a player, the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't relented that the plan is to not play Bortles until he's ready. What ready means seems to be getting closer to a reality with each day, however.

#Jaguars coach Gus Bradley, on if Bortles’ll get 1st-team reps eventually: "For me to say he’s not going to would probably be inaccurate."

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 12, 2014

Bradley added some rookies have gotten 1st-team reps. Bortles will too at some point. "But the team has really rallied around Chad (Henne)."

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 12, 2014

The team has been hesitant to praise Bortles too much, but that has seemed to soften lately after his performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first preseason game. Bradley told Sirius XM that Bortles has looked good and "is building that body of work," not that the starting job is still Henne's.

With Bradley's latest line to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who was at practice today, it seems like things are progressing as a lot of people expected them too, but faster than maybe the Jaguars thought.

Bradley already announced after practice on Tuesday that Chad Henne will start the entire first half against the Chicago Bears, with Bortles likely playing the entire second half. Bradley also noted that Bortles wouldn't get some time with the first time this week against the Bears, but depending on his performance on Thursday on national television, one would assume he gets some work against the Detroit Lions in Week 3 of the preseason.