The Jacksonville Jaguars have exercised their fifth-year option on former UCF QB Blake Bortles for the 2018 season , the NFL team announced Monday.
Bortles, who played high-school football in Oviedo, Fla., has struggled since the Jags selected him with the third overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. In three seasons (46 career games), he has completed 1,003 of 1,706 (58.8 percent) of his passes for 11,241 yards, 69 touchdowns and 51 interceptions.
"This is a smart business decision for the team for several reasons," said Tom Coughlin, in his first season as the Jaguars' executive vice president of football operations. "It makes sense for us going forward, and it's good for Blake and for the Jaguars."
Bortles was 368-of-625 passing (58.9 percent) for 3,905 yards, 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions as the Jags finished 3-13 in 2016.
Jacksonville ranked 23rd in total offense and 25th in scoring offense last season. The Jags addressed their offensive needs with their top two picks in last week's NFL draft, selecting running back Leonard Fournette (fourth overall) and Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson (No. 34).
