The Jacksonville Jaguars 2014 Draft Class is in for a Big Pay Day
By Jacob DeFee
Blake Bortles:
The jury is still out on Blake Bortles and his future with the team depends solely on his performance in the upcoming season. There have been reports that the Jags will decline Bortles fifth year option, but that does not mean Bortles will not be the face of the franchise long term. If Bortles does bounce back to his 2015 self and cut down on the turnovers, look for the Jags to hit him with the franchise tag which would pay him approximately $21.5 Million based on 2017 contract figures. The Jags would then have the 2018 season to evaluate Bortles further and decide whether he is indeed the quarterback of the team going forward.
Marqise Lee & Allen Robinson
After both players were selected in the second round of the 2014 draft there was hope that both receivers would become long term starters in the league. In 2015 Robinson looked to be on the cusp of being one of the best receivers in the league, but failed to live up to the high expectations in 2016.
Lee on the other hand, struggled with injuries in his first two seasons, but broke out in 2016. He quickly became one of Bortles’ favorite targets and finished the season as the second leading receiver on the team with 63 receptions and 851 yards.
Look for the Jaguars to try and extend Robinson’s contract before the upcoming season, his deal should be somewhere in the $12 – 14 Million per year range. Similar to those of T.Y. Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts, and Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos.
Expect the Jags to make Lee play out his current contract for the 2017 season to make sure he can stay healthy for an extended period of time.