The Jacksonville Jaguars Have Inquired About A.J. McCarron
By Erik Lambert
It appears Tom Coughlin was right to be skeptical of Blake Bortles when he came in. The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback continues to flounder.
Not only that but the tean has about reached their breaking point with him. Head coach Doug Marrone made it clear after the loss to Tampa Bay in preseason week 2 that the quarterback job was wide open. Not only to backup Chad Henne but also young third stringer Brandon Allen as well. On the surface it looks like Bortles didn’t play too bad at 8-of-13 for 65 yards but it was ugly. He badly missed a number of wide open receivers.
There have already been clips of wide receiver Allen Robinson venting his frustration in practice over Bortles’ accuracy issues. It seems that has since spread to others on the roster. How can the team be expected to win games if the guy pulling the trigger can’t be counted on to get the ball where it needs to go?
Perhaps that’s why rumors have surfaced that the team remains active in their search for a replacement. This includes the trade market.
McCarron would at least provide stability
The situation with A.J. McCarron has remained a hot topic for months. It’s been speculated the Cincinnati Bengals are listening to trade offers for the current backup and former Alabama star. To this point they’ve reportedly turned down all comers including one who brought a 2nd round pick to the table. Keep in mind McCarron was a 5th round pick. So clearly the Bengals think highly of the young QB. Enough to unseat Andy Dalton though?
That’s where things get complicated. He’s good enough to not take a 2nd rounder but not good enough to overtake a QB who has clearly peaked as a performer. Meanwhile the Jaguars are willing to consider him as a replacement for a former #3 overall pick. Football is weird sometimes. Either way it’s understandable.
McCarron has a reputation for being a game manager. He protects the football, keeps the chains moving and leans on the running game to do the heavy lifting. Considering Jacksonville just drafted LSU stud Leonard Fournette, it makes sense. Then again the greater likelihood at this point is that Henne or Allen will simply supplant bortles as the starter. Something to monitor if nothing else though.