INTEREST
Before this offseason it looked like everything was stable for the Jacksonville Jaguars at the quarterback position. Blake Bortles was the unquestioned starter. That seemed to undergo a major change with the arrival of Tom Coughlin as VP of Football Operations. There are few more experienced football minds on the planet, and he knows what good quarterbacks look like. He has the rings to prove it.
His job is to build a young and talented team into a winner after years of underachieving. What could be more jarring than a change at the quarterback position? Based on a recent lack of vocal support for Bortles, that possibility gained a ton of steam in Jacksonville.
This is critically important for the Bears. Why? The Jaguars hold the #4 pick in the draft. Right behind Chicago. If teams seeking a quarterback start to believe that Jacksonville might take one, and the Bears make #3 available, that could generate serious interest. The higher the interest, the more Pace can squeeze out in any deal he wishes to make.
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This doesn’t even count the New York Jets at #6 who are clearly lurking on that front as well. It’s hard to envision them going into 2017 with Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. Or even the Los Angeles Chargers. There is an undercurrent of belief that they might be seeking the heir for Philip Rivers.
Does it make sense for Texans to call Chargers & see if Philip Rivers might be available? Chargers could rebuild around say Deshaun Watson?
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) March 9, 2017
Much crazier things have happened in the NFL over the years. Everything is fluid this time of year. Teams that might’ve felt comfortable with their quarterback situations in February might be changing their minds by April. All the Bears would have to do is keep the phone lines open and wait for the right offer.
