Jacksonville Jaguars Pick Up Blake Bortles’ 5th-Year Option

The deadline for picking up a player’s 5th-year option is Tuesday, May 2nd.

(For reference, the Titans recently picked up Taylor Lewan’s 5th year.)

Well on Monday, May 1st, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they have picked up the fifth-year option for quarterback Blake Bortles.

Blake Bortles, of course, is probably best known for his lead-leaguing 34 interceptions over the last two years (tied with Philip Rivers, one ahead of Jameis Winston).

My favorite LOL-worthy play is the one where he tried to ground a screen pass and ended up throwing an interception.

Here’s some very good analysis of the decision from our friends at Big Cat Country:

We said at the very beginning of the offseason that the Jaguars shouldn’t pick up Bortles’ fifth-year option. There really is no benefit because even if you pick it up and Bortles suddenly becomes amazing, you’re going to be paying a lot more in the form of a long term contract. If you don’t pick it up and he suddenly becomes amazing, guess what? You can franchise tag him for the same price and still sign him to a long-term contract.

The 5th-year option is only guaranteed for injury, but it is going to be a hefty payday for Blake Bortles if he is not released before the official start of the 2018 league year in March of 2018. More analysis from Big Cat Country:

The fifth-year option for Bortles, since he plays quarterback, is quite high. Just based on the current salaries in the NFL, Bortles fifth-year option would be $22.36 million. That number is not set in stone and likely will change, probably to more expensive...

It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The Jaguars surprised many draft pundits by not selecting a quarterback in last weekend’s NFL Draft.

Doug Marrone got Blake Bortles to look like an actual NFL quarterback in Week 16 of last season. Perhaps Tom Coughlin thinks that will be the case going forward?

Either way, this is head-scratching move. What do you guys think about it?