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With the NFL Draft being exactly two weeks away from today, the buzz and rumors coming from all 32 NFL teams are flying. With the Jaguars holding the 4th overall pick, along with several needs to address and coming off of an abysmal season that shattered high expectations, the rumor mill is spinning fast for the Jaguars.
There’s been talk of the Jaguars drafting a pass rusher or a running back with the 4th overall pick for months, but recently, the buzz going around has been the potential for the Jaguars to draft a quarterback after Blake Bortles' regression in 2016.
These rumors aren’t only fan generated, but the team has indirectly contributed to it as well in hosting prospect quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and Nathan Peterman to draft visits.
New Executive VP of Football Operations for the Jaguars, Tom Coughlin, has expressed himself as not fully confident in Bortles before, which further adds to the possibility of the Jaguars eyeing a quarterback in this draft. He even stated that the team wouldn't rule out drafting a quarterback early on.
To further add to the heat surrounding this rumor, Pro Football Focus released some draft pick trading scenarios today, one of which being the Jaguars sending Blake Bortles to the Arizona Cardinals for the 13th overall pick.
My fellow writer Alfie Crow broke down the logic of the trade scenario, claiming that he wouldn't give up a first round pick for Bortles, but cited that the Cardinals were very interested in Bortles in the 2014 draft, so he could see where the idea came from.
All in all, these rumors going around on the quarterback situation in Jacksonville are simply that: Rumors. While I personally doubt the team moves Bortles and selects a quarterback with the 4th overall pick, it’s the NFL Draft: Nothing is guaranteed, and you never know what could happen.
There’s an old saying that goes “If ‘if’s’ and ‘can’s’ were pots and pans, the whole world would be a kitchen”. Although this is a wise saying to keep in mind, Jacksonville’s kitchen might be cooking.