Blake Bortles

Trevor Lawrence is everything Bortles wasn't—a generational prospect with elite arm talent and mobility who arrived with legitimate franchise-cornerstone expectations. While Bortles showed flashes during Jacksonville's 2017 playoff run, Lawrence represents the Jaguars finally getting their QB answer after years of inconsistency. Lawrence's ceiling is considerably higher, though he's still proving he can sustain it consistently.

No, Blake Bortles isn't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and realistically never will be. His 17,649 passing yards and 103 touchdowns across eight seasons don't meet Canton's standards—he was a middling starter for Jacksonville, then a journeyman backup. Hall voters reserve spots for transformational players, and Bortles was neither.

Blake Bortles retired quietly in October 2022, announcing it on the Pardon My Take podcast rather than with fanfare. Since then, he's largely stayed out of the spotlight, stepping away from football after his final stint with New Orleans. He's been living a post-NFL life away from the daily grind of the league.

Modern passing rules would've helped Bortles' volume numbers, but not his efficiency. His inconsistency—that tendency to force throws into tight windows—would still haunt him in today's NFL. The league's emphasis on decision-making and precision wouldn't mask his fundamental limitations. He'd probably be a competent backup, nothing more.

Mark Brunell significantly outplayed Bortles in Jacksonville. Brunell's 36.59 passer rating edge reflects a more efficient, intelligent quarterback who actually won playoff games for the Jaguars. While both had their struggles, Brunell's 1996-2002 run established him as a legitimate franchise builder; Bortles was always searching for consistency.