The Denver Broncos and quarterback Blake Bortles had “preliminary mutual interest” in each other, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Nothing materialized between the two sides though and Bortles ended up signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Broncos, like the Rams, viewed Bortles as a backup. In Denver, he would have been the team’s reserve QB behind Joe Flacco. Instead, he’ll backup Jared Goff in Los Angeles.
Bortles, 26, has plenty of experience starting in the NFL. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft and he held the team’s starting job for five years.
In his career, Bortles has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 17,646 with 103 touchdown passes against 75 interceptions. Jacksonville cut Bortles last week after the team signed Nick Foles.
If the Broncos had signed Bortles, general manager John Elway probably wouldn’t have selected a QB with the 10th overall pick in the draft. It wouldn’t make sense to have Flacco, Bortles and a high-profile draft pick taking up three roster spots with only two of them dressing for game days.
This may be a sign that Denver is not planning to select a QB early in April’s draft, though that’s merely speculation.
.png?w=600)
