Blake Bortles to Packers on 1 year deal

[tynimiller]

Rumor is he and Aaron are golf buddies...can anyone actually confirm this? Seeing it at multiple spots but nothing confirmed.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If the Packers were rebuilding or reloading mode, I could see going with a younger arm. They aren't there right now. This team is built to win now. Salary cap makes it so. Rodgers screws up his elbow/ankle week 10 and will be out until the bye week. Who do you want starting to continue the playoff positioning? An untested 2nd year player with only preseason experience that has done mop up duty off and on the previous few weeks or someone competent with several years of starting experience that has had the preseason and half the regular season to get in the playbook and on the same page as the HC.

This is exactly what I have been "preaching" for years, yet the Packers always tended to be content with a little or no experienced #2 QB behind Rodgers. So not sure if Bortles is a shift in their thought process and policy or a straight up contingency plan of having him be their starter if Rodgers is gone. I tend to think the later and they didn't want to wait any longer and run the risk they lose Rodgers and Blake isn't available. Either way, its a good signing IMO. No Rodgers, Blake and Love will probably both get some playing time during the start of the "rebuild after Rodger's era". Rodgers plays in Green Bay and you finally have a decent #2 waiting, in the event of an injury.

Of course, the Love haters should be jumping all over this news, as solid proof that Love was a terrible pick.

 

[tynimiller]

Honestly the only FA QB I may prefer over Blake is Mullens, but we are splitting some serious hairs because Blake has tons more experience, but I tend to feel Mullens has a higher ceiling.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Mullens has a higher ceiling.

That brings up an interesting point, what are the Packers looking for in their "3rd QB"? Unless Love gets traded, I see him as the future #1, until he proves otherwise. If Rodgers retires a Packer, I see him as the #1 until that time. So where does that leave the 3rd QB in? Might be why Bortles was the better option over Mullens. If Rodgers is out now, Bortles is pretty much ready to start now. Bortles might have a lower long term ceiling, but more experience makes him a guy you can count on right away, while not having to hitch your wagons to him developing much more. Also, maybe the price was much better on Bortles.

 

[GleefulGary]

Bortles gives you three things:

If GB trades Rodgers, Bortles could be a capable starter/backup until Love is ready.

If GB trades Love, Bortles is a good veteran backup.

Bortles is a more than capable camp arm for a team that won’t have a veteran QB available.

 

[Sanguine camper]

At this point, Bortles is a good third string qb. He can come in and not melt down to the point that the Packers could win a game that they are leading at the time he takes over. There's a reason he's a back up qb. His career stats are underwhelming.
His completion percentage is 60 percent has 75 interceptions to only 103 td's and his QB rating is a paltry 80. Now he played for a bad team most of his five seasons as a starter but the qb takes much of the blame if the team is bad. He's the kind of qb I don't mind seeing taking over after an injury. I just don't want to see him start. That would be ugly.

 

[BrokenArrow]

i thinks some people are going to spaz a little just because his name is very recognizable
but he's just a veteran arm
i don't think this signing says anything about rodgers' or love's future

He's just here to replace Boyle. Nothing more.

 

[AKCheese]

I hope they cleared this with Rodgers

 

[Pkrjones]

At this point, Bortles is a good third string qb. He can come in and not melt down to the point that the Packers could win a game that they are leading at the time he takes over. There's a reason he's a back up qb. His career stats are underwhelming.
His completion percentage is 60 percent has 75 interceptions to only 103 td's and his QB rating is a paltry 80. Now he played for a bad team most of his five seasons as a starter but the qb takes much of the blame if the team is bad. He's the kind of qb I don't mind seeing taking over after an injury. I just don't want to see him start. That would be ugly.

Without researching the horrendous recent Jags history i believe Bortles had 3 OC's in his 5 years in Jax. Hard for him to develop in that type of constant-turnover of staff. I think it's a great signing!

 

[GleefulGary]

Without researching the horrendous recent Jags history i believe Bortles had 3 OC's in his 5 years in Jax. Hard for him to develop in that type of constant-turnover of staff. I think it's a great signing!

One of those OC’s is GB’s current OC.

 

[Pkrjones]

One of those OC’s is GB’s current OC.

Even better! With the constant churning of staff from HC on down to ball boys I'm sure there were good & bad coaches caught in the revolving door. Maybe Bortles will finally get some stable coaching & mechanics fine-tuning? He's got the physical & mental tools to succeed but needs tutoring on consistent footwork & weight distribution.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If nothing else, Bortles might be a good first taste of what life without Rodgers will be like. Not saying that the time is now, but eventually every offseason we may be spending a lot of time wondering if "this QB is any better than .....the last QB." Really not looking forward to living life like a Bears fan..

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Another potential layer of the Bortles signing is if Rodgers is traded, the Packers don't find themselves in the middle of asset negotiations, needing his replacement. Basically, the Packers don't need to take on another teams potentially highly paid QB, instead they say "thanks we have Bortles, give us a 3rd rounder instead of that QB." Also, imagine trading Rodgers, not acquiring another starting level QB and then going out shopping. Agents wouldn't have hesitated to up the price on their guy.

 

[Pugger]

My only question, did they promise Blake jersey #12?

I can't see him wearing #5 in GB...

 

[Pugger]

His traditional #5 is retired.... maybe The only low #'s available at the moment are 1, 16, & 18

I also doubt he'd wear #1. Wasn't that Lambeau's number?

 

[PikeBadger]

Bortles gives you three things:

If GB trades Rodgers, Bortles could be a capable starter/backup until Love is ready.

If GB trades Love, Bortles is a good veteran backup.

Bortles is a more than capable camp arm for a team that won’t have a veteran QB available.

He may actually thrive with good coaching and added maturity.

 

[PikeBadger]

I can't see him wearing #5 in GB...

I don’t think the Packers would be quick to give out Hornung’s number the season after he died.

 

[PikeBadger]

If nothing else, Bortles might be a good first taste of what life without Rodgers will be like. Not saying that the time is now, but eventually every offseason we may be spending a lot of time wondering if "this QB is any better than .....the last QB." Really not looking forward to living life like a Bears fan..

Or, the unknown future is exciting to contemplate. We’ve got a lot of good players under contract with coaches that are showing they can develop players.

 

[Schultz]

I also preferred a healthy Mullens to Bortles but I can live with Bortles. Nice signing.

 

[GleefulGary]

He may actually thrive with good coaching and added maturity.

At some point, you are what you are. I wouldn’t expect much from him. He is what he is.

 

[OldSchool101]

Another potential layer of the Bortles signing is if Rodgers is traded, the Packers don't find themselves in the middle of asset negotiations, needing his replacement. Basically, the Packers don't need to take on another teams potentially highly paid QB, instead they say "thanks we have Bortles, give us a 3rd rounder instead of that QB." Also, imagine trading Rodgers, not acquiring another starting level QB and then going out shopping. Agents wouldn't have hesitated to up the price on their guy.

I like that. Kind of Positioning themselves for possible asset negotiations. That creates a time barrier. The worst deals are often the ones we get pressured into because we have to move quickly. Or the best are the ones we are patient. In general.
The outlier is the times that the Holy Spirit is prompting us to be on the move

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

If nothing else, Bortles might be a good first taste of what life without Rodgers will be like. Not saying that the time is now, but eventually every offseason we may be spending a lot of time wondering if "this QB is any better than .....the last QB." Really not looking forward to living life like a Bears fan..

Not really, I mean as I believe he's pretty much just a placeholder guy, I don't necessarily see his performance indicating our future one way or another, unless he really surprises and shocks the league with a season duplicating something like Case Keenum in 2017 or something. But I don't think that will be the case.

The ultimate indicator of what life will be post Rodgers will be whether or not Love succeeds.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Not really, I mean as I believe he's pretty much just a placeholder guy, I don't necessarily see his performance indicating our future one way or another, unless he really surprises and shocks the league with a season duplicating something like Case Keenum in 2017 or something. But I don't think that will be the case.

The ultimate indicator of what life will be post Rodgers will be whether or not Love succeeds.

That was my point and I probably should have included "if Love isn't the next FHOF QB", the Packers will return to what many teams go through every season, the search for the franchise QB. Those teams that haven't found them usually make guys like Bortles their backup contingency plan.

Bottom line, I am not holding my breath that the Packers strike gold 3 QB's in a row and as much as I want to believe it will happen with Love, I'm prepared to return to a team that has to play really well at all 22 positions in order to be successful.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I had a dream last night that Rodgers stayed in Green Bay and Bortles beat him out for the starting job!

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Or, the unknown future is exciting to contemplate. We’ve got a lot of good players under contract with coaches that are showing they can develop players.

I like our team better now than I did 3 or 4 seasons ago, but I am pretty sure that without Rodgers, we are going to see a bit of the same that we saw with Kizer or Hundley behind center until we develop a QB. MLF's offense I believe will run a lot better than MM's would have without a star QB.