Jacksonville Jaguars just a quarterback away from contending?

What will it take for the Jaguars to find a starting quarterback after 2017?

Anyone who’s watched Blake Bortles has come to the conclusion the Jacksonville Jaguars once again have a bust on their hands. He’s thrown 51 interceptions in 47 career games and his abysmal performance this preseason nearly cost him the starting job.

Head coach Doug Marone was able to protect Bortles in the season opener by running the ball 39 times, the second-most in the league. Leonard Fournette is the bell cow of this offense and with Allen Robinson out for the year might be the entirety of the Jaguars offense.

After spending high draft picks on Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, Dante Fowler, Yannick Ngakoue and Dawuane Smoot the Jaguars have paid for the top defensive free agents in recent years. Malik Jackson, A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell, Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson starred on a defense that collected 10 sacks in the season debut.

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Jacksonville looks as if they have their major pieces on defense with the exception of depth at linebacker and defensive tackle behind their starters. Their offense has Fournette and at one point a rising star in Allen Robinson. They’d have to re-sign Robinson, who voiced his displeasure with Bortles during training camp.

Are the Jaguars really just a quarterback away from being contenders, and if so, where do they go?

Assuming Bortles is done after this season in Jacksonville the team can clear his $19 million cap hit from their payroll. That move alone gives the team nearly $28 million in cap space for next season. They can use that to bring back Robinson, sign some offensive line depth, or perhaps get a quarterback.

There are five quarterbacks projected to hit free agency in 2018 Jacksonville should be interested in signing: Drew Brees, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater. Each comes with their own questions and high points.

Whether or not the Redskins allow Cousins to hit free agency remains a question, as does the future of Garoppolo in New England.

Any one of the five free agents would allow the Jaguars to use a projected high draft pick to either trade down and acquire more assets or find a long-term starter. Perhaps a big wide receiver or a replacement to the aging Paul Pozluzney at middle linebacker. /

Another intriguing option would be Alex Smith in Kansas City, who lit up the Patriots on Thursday night. The Chiefs have made it clear Patrick Mahomes is their future and with Smith approaching the final year of his contract in 2018 the team may look to unload him.

Owed $17 million in 2018 the Jaguars would save $2 million releasing Bortles and taking on an established veteran such as Smith.

Free agency might be the Jaguars best route towards finding a quarterback for 2018 over the upcoming draft class. While there’s an abundance of quarterback talent the Jaguars are facing a higher risk that they once took with Bortles. Getting a Cousins, Garoppolo, or Bradford would stabilize the team for the first time in years.

If a veteran such as Brees is the option, then Jacksonville could use their second round pick on someone such as Tanner Lee or Jarrett Stidham as a development arm behind a future Hall of Famer.

Next: 2017 NFL season: Top 10 week 1 rookie performances

It all remains to be seen with Jacksonville after years of ineptitude in the front office, coaching staff, and quarterback room.

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