Sam Bradford is the Jaguars' only hope to turn around their season
A little over a month ago, the Jaguars were considered one of the handful of teams that could legitimately win the Super Bowl. Four losses later, Jacksonville headed into its bye reeling and its only hope for a turnaround was Leonard Fournette returning and lifting the offense out of the funk its been in since defenses figured out how to shut down the simple passing game the coaching staff has put together for Blake Bortles.
But, over the weekend, the Cardinals provided the Jags with a new hope.
Arizona released veteran QB Sam Bradford, who had been benched in September for rookie Josh Rosen. If he makes it through waivers - any team that claims him would have to pay him $2.3 million for this season - Bradford will be free to sign with the team of his choice.
You have to figure the Jaguars will be interested in signing Bradford. Even if Fournette returns and helps turn around the running game, there's only so much a one-dimensional running back can do for an offense and the unit's biggest problem remains the quarterback position. If the team is going to make it back to the postseason, a change has to be made at quarterback.
Bradford is no franchise quarterback, and it appears injuries have prematurely brought an end to his prime; but, at the very least, the 2010 first-overall pick still has a good arm and is capable of making any throw a coaching staff draws up.
The same cannot be said of Bortles, who has yet to figure out how to throw a spiral. Not only does the Jaguars quarterback struggle to diagnose defenses, but even when he is able to figure out what coverage he's looking at it, his woeful mechanics prevent him from getting the ball to his intended target on a consistent basis.
As a result, Jaguars offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been forced to call plays with one hand tied behind his back. The Jaguars passing game isn't very diverse. You'll see drag routes, fades, screen passes and … well, little else.
Bringing in Bradford would allow Hackett to open up the passing game. He'll be able to call plays knowing his quarterback can make all the reads and all the throws. That will force defenses to prepare for more than a handful of concepts, which will make things easier on the entire offense, including a young, talented receiving corps. That, combined with the return of Fournette, should allow the offense to play at a league-average clip, which is really all the Jaguars defense needs to carry the team in the AFC South race.
Bradford isn't the athlete Bortles is, which would be the one concern. Bortles scrambles have been the offense's only weapon during this losing streak, and Bradford isn't creating anything with his legs. Even in his prime, he wasn't a good mover. Knee injuries have sapped him of any ability to run the ball. In three games in 2018, Bradford scrambled exactly once, and he's looked rigid when forced to move in the pocket.
Based on the tape he produced in Arizona, the best comparison for Bradford is probably Eli Manning circa 2014 - but a tad more accurate. Nobody outside of New York is clamoring to pay a premium for that level of quarterback play, but getting it for the veteran minimum has to be considered a bargain.
Maybe Tom Coughlin - who seems to be a fan of immobile, big-armed quarterbacks - will see shades of his old quarterback in Bradford's tape and finally bring in some real competition for Bortles, who has only had to fend off Chad Henne and Cody Kessler to keep his job. If he doesn't, nothing will change for the Jaguars this season.
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