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We have a new entrant in the race for the top pick in the NFL draft in 2019: the Jacksonville Jaguars. A bit of history: the Jags have never had the first selection in the general, but they had the choice n ° 2 three times in 29 seasons, the choice n ° 3 twice and 14 times in the top 10 .
At present, the Jags have the seventh overall selection, but given their defeat against the Steelers on Sunday – as well as their six-game losing streak – they could be among the worst teams in the league. here at the season ends. In the center of the maelstrom, there is a familiar face: quarterback Blake Bortles, the 2014 third overall, who has already been beaten once this season after a $ 54 million over three years.
Note: We were in favor of extending Bortles because of the way they played against the Patriots in the AFC championship game. The 2017 season was his best year as a professional. And he did his best for Foxborough, scoring 23 of 36 attempts for 293 yards with one touchdown and no losses in the playoffs. In fact, Bortles did not have a single interception in three playoff games. He also had no choice against the Steelers last Sunday, probably because the coaches did not trust him to do more than give the ball.
And on the rare occasions when Bortles was allowed to go back, well, it was infuriating to watch.
Convert it and the Jaguars get a first try, keep the clock running and, in the worst case, give yourself another goal. Instead, Bortles inexplicably takes a bag, does it again at the next play and Jacksonville hits. The Jags played only seven other games this afternoon, while the Steelers had 22, scoring 14 points and winning 20-16.
"Blake has a lot of things to improve," said offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett via ESPN.com. "He knows he must be able to take his shots when he can.He must continue to protect the ball, and it's always a fine line with a quarterback because you do not want to flip the ball, but you still want to be aggressive and take your shots – it's something that he just needs to keep developing. "
So where are the Jaguars going from here? There is no simple and inexpensive solution. If Bortles is released after June 1, there will remain $ 11.5 million of dead space in 2019, according to Spotrac. That number drops to $ 5 million in 2020. But the window in Jacksonville is already closing; Jalen Ramsey is expected for a big payday and the team is currently in the last row of slots available in 2019 (minus $ 12.8 million).
In our latest simulation project, we have the Jags taking quarterback Justin Herbert of Oregon with the eighth pick in all. If the team does not trust Bortles to participate in the NFL, happy passes, there is really no reason to keep it. Now all that remains is to adjust their cap.
(Note: In the table below, teams are ranked from "more likely to have choice # 1 in draft 2019 NFL" to "less likely" using two different methods. course "does what his name suggests.: The teams are first sorted according to their records" 18, the strength of the schedule, via Tankathon.The other column is sorted according to the "draft order of the season of SportsLine". our newest NFL model project in 2019 if you want to see who each team is taking.)
* Dallas has sent its first-round pick 2019 to Oakland as part of the Amari Cooper trade.
** Chicago sent its first round pick 2019 to Oakland as part of Khalil Mack's exchange.
*** New Orleans sent its 2019 first-round pick to Green Bay for Marcus Davenport in 2018.
Jacksonville to Buffalo
Blake Bortles is not the only problem in Jacksonville, but he is the biggest. The defense dominated the Steelers for 45 minutes last week and the Jags throw found a way to blow the lead by 16 points. And although Bortles had no setbacks, the coaches were so scared to let him pass – we are in 2018, for screaming! – that the one-dimensional Jags offense has become a three-machine and that the Steelers have capitalized. The Bills collected 41 points on the Jets in the 10th week and are fresh after they leave. Given the quality of these defenses – and the extent to which these offenses may be historically incompetent – do not be surprised if a security decides this match.
San Francisco to Tampa Bay
The game of musical chairs continues in Tampa Bay and Jameis Winston has again been installed as a starter. For how long, who knows. But that's his job for the moment. He started three games this season and had eight touchdowns and 11 steals. The Bucs will have to decide before March if Winston is worth more than $ 20 million in 2019, otherwise they could be on the market for their next quarter of franchise. The 49ers already have their QB franchise, but Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL in September and Nick Mullens is now under center. The two teams will not play in the 2018 playoffs, but they can use the next six weeks to determine which players they want to be on the list in 2019.
Oakland to Baltimore
Have we seen Joe Flacco play his last match in Baltimore? Rookie Lamar Jackson was an exciting change of pace in his debut against the Bengals. While he ran the ball 27 times, he avoided those big hits that ultimately derailed Robert Griffin III's career. And now, Ravens have a chance to win twice in a row for the first time since September. The Raiders are also coming off a well-deserved victory – just their second of the season – but they remain one of the worst teams in the NFL as Jon Gruden begins to reshape the group. A Sunday victory would be the biggest of the season for Gruden. It is however more likely that Oakland has already won its last game. the schedule is difficult and the Raiders have too many holes on both sides of the ball.
New York Giants in Philadelphia
The giants are back, baby! At least we can imagine that some members of the New York front-office could try to turn things around when they decide not to solve the problem of the quarterback position in the offseason. "You see, if we repair the offensive line and strengthen the defense, Eli Manning is pretty good!" Whenever the truth is true, win two consecutive wins for the first time of the year. While they are three games behind the division's Redskins, they are just one game against the Eagles, who were embarrassed in New Orleans. Last weekend. If Philly has all chance to make a playoff race, it must start with the giants.
Arizona at Los Angeles Chargers
We do not want to call the Chargers' loss against the unforgivable Broncos, but it was close. Los Angeles should be 8-2, if not for a terrible interception by Philip Rivers who sent Denver back. Instead, they are 7-3, always a division Chiefs match, the first seed of wild card and all they can do is play the games on schedule. First place: The Cardinals, one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL. Having made 8-8 last year with Carson Palmer, Blaine Gabbert and Drew Stanton, Arizona has taken several steps in the wrong direction in 2018. Much of the responsibility lies with the company. Freshman coach Steve Wilks, who now hopes that new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and rookie quarterback Josh Rosen can save the season – and his job.
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