JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With only one day left in this week's mini-camp, Blake Bortles signed a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars early this morning.??
Bortles, the Jaguars' first-round pick and No. 3 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, signed his deal around 7:30 a.m. and then went back to his morning work out.
"It's awesome to be able to kind of put this in the past. It's a once in a lifetime thing, signing your first contract. It's a cool feeling," said Bortles.
With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place and the players selected before and after him already under contract, Bortles and the Jaguars came to an agreement that fits into his draft position. His deal is worth more than $20.6 million over four years with about $13.3 million as a signing. The Jaguars get a team option for a fifth year.
"We are excited to get Blake under contract as we finish up minicamp," Jaguars general manager David Caldwell said. "Blake has progressed really well this off season and has brought a great attitude to work each day. He is highly competitive and very passionate about football. He knows where he needs to get better and is willing to do the work. He's a down-to-Earth guy, a blue collar guy, and he just wants to be the best he can be."
Bortles played in 37 games and started 30 at Central Florida and was the first quarterback taken in the 2014 draft. His signing leaves just 5 unsigned first round picks this year.
With Chad Henne as the announced starter this year for the Jaguars, Bortles isn't expected to play much before the 2015 season. The team also signed Stephen Morris from the University of Miami as an undrafted free agent and has Ricky Stanzi on the roster as a holdover from last year.
The Jaguars will most likely keep three quarterbacks on the regular season roster.