Niner Noise
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Which NFL teams will need a quarterback in 2018?

By Peter Panacy

Nov 29, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) tumbles into the photographers after spiking the ball during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The Arizona Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers 19-13. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) tumbles into the photographers after spiking the ball during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The Arizona Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers 19-13. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) is helped up after a sack by Jaguars tackle Kelvin Beachum (68) during the first half of an NFL football game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) is helped up after a sack by Jaguars tackle Kelvin Beachum (68) during the first half of an NFL football game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Jacksonville Jaguars

Quarterbacks on Roster: Blake Bortles, Chad Henne, Brandon Allen

Call it a hunch, but it’s highly unlikely the Jacksonville Jaguars are eyeing the ever-disappointing Blake Bortles as their long-term option under center.

Since being taken No. 3 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, Bortles has been nothing more than a bust for a quarterback-needy Jaguars team that appears to be more of a QB graveyard than the Cleveland Browns.

It’s weird to think the Browns aren’t even on this list.

For whatever reason — perhaps nothing more than necessity — the Jaguars picked up Bortles’ fifth-year option, keeping him signed through 2018. That option is fully guaranteed if he’s on the roster for the first day of the NFL’s new year.

If he’s released before that point, Jacksonville could save $19.05 million in cap space with zero dead money.

With few other options heading into this year, Bortles is essentially playing a “prove it” season and will be under pressure to deliver.

He won’t have any excuses, especially after the Jaguars picked up talented running back Leonard Fournette in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft. This should take a lot of the pressure off Bortles to perform.

If he can’t, well, Jacksonville will be taking another QB early in 2018.