Rams Bring In Blake Bortles To Back Up Jared Goff
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Quarterback Blake Bortles has signed a one-year deal to join the L.A. Rams, the team announced Monday.
The 26-year-old Bortles -- who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, just one season into a new three-year, $54 million contract -- will replace Sean Mannion as Jared Goff's backup. Mannion is currently a free agent.
The Jaguars selected Bortles No. 3 overall in 2014 out of Central Florida, hoping that he would have the makings of a franchise quarterback. However, his five seasons in Jacksonville were mostly a disappointment. He had a dismal regular season record of 24-49, throwing 103 touchdowns against 75 interceptions over that time.
Bortles' only winning season came in 2017, when he led the upstart Jags to the AFC title game, where they lost to the Patriots. The Jags were unable to build on that success, finishing 5-11 last season.
The Jaguars last week signed former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles to a lucrative four-year, $88 million contract, which effectively marked the end of the Bortles era in Jacksonville.
Terms of Bortles' deal with the Rams were not immediately disclosed.
Newest addition to the QB room ???? pic.twitter.com/VOuCooADRd
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 19, 2019