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Blake Bortles: 5 questions for the 2015 season

By Luke Sims

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Oct 5, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) is introduced as the Steelers beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-9 at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

5) Will Blake Bortles Become the Face of the Franchise?

The face of the franchise is an interesting concept across sports. From LeBron James to Lionel Messi, some players are just transcendent in their abilities to define a team. Blake Bortles is expected to be that defining face for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was drafted to be the next great Jags quarterback and with that comes the responsibility of being the face of the franchise.

The Jaguars haven’t had a quarterback as the face of the franchise in a very long time. You could argue that Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor held the role for a number of years, even with successful seasons from quarterbacks Mark Brunell and David Garrard. Byron Leftwich and Blaine Gabbert never really felt like they defined the Jaguars, even with their meager successes in some regards.

Bortles will have to assume the mantle and 2015 may well be the start of it. Without a top-flight, established running back on the roster and without a dominant wide receiver, it will likely fall to Bortles to become the face of the franchise by default. It’s a lot of pressure to be the guy at quarterback. It’s even more pressure to be the guy for the entire franchise. That is what is expected of Bortles, however, and he will have to prove he is up to the task. The Jags (and fans like us) need someone to band around and Bortles is the most likely candidate.

Next: What if Blake Bortles Doesn't Progress?

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