2 articles: McVay on Bortles, Bortles on McVay.
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Sean McVay explains Rams’ decision to sign Blake Bortles
Sean McVay explains Rams' decision to sign Blake Bortles
Jared Goff is unquestionably the Los Angeles Rams’ franchise quarterback and likely will be for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t lessen the team’s need for a quality backup. With Sean Mannion hitting free agency, the Rams set their sights on Blake Bortles, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They signed him to a one-year deal worth $1 million, making him Goff’s backup and putting him ahead of Brandon Allen on the depth chart. It’s a bargain contract for a player with 74 career regular-season starts, giving the Rams confidence that they can win games if Goff does get hurt.
Bortles is friends with Goff, which also helps their relationship, and hopes to help Jared as much as he possibly can next season. His experience, mobility and skill set made him an intriguing target for L.A., as did his personality.
“I think when you look at the production over the course of his career, a guy that has played in some big-time games, has some athleticism and some different things that we like. There’s obviously a history and a rapport that he and Jared have,” McVay said on Thursday. “I think, to be able to get a player of his caliber to be able to come in and be willing to be a backup, be a mentor to Jared, when they have a preexisting relationship. And somebody that’s won a lot of football games. I mean, you’re talking about a year removed from a great game in the divisional round against Pittsburgh and right down to the wire in the AFC Championship against New England.”
Bortles led the Jaguars to the AFC championship game two seasons ago, only to have Jacksonville blow a 10-point fourth-quarter lead. He’s been a starter for five years, too, and has a season with 35 touchdown passes on his resume.
His mechanics and accuracy regressed in 2018, which led to him being benched for Cody Kessler, but he was the No. 3 overall pick five years ago and has plenty of talent. Hopefully the Rams can capture some of the magic from his second season, when he threw 35 touchdown passes and racked up 4,428 yards.
In addition to his production and past experience, Bortles’ personality and charisma excite McVay.
“You can see he’s a great competitor,” the coach said. “Love the way that his teammates have always been a fan of his. I think that says a lot about the player and the person. When you get a chance to meet him and spend some time with him, he’s kind of got that charisma and presence that you expect from a quarterback, where you can’t help but say, ‘I like this guy.’”
The recent success of the Rams, having made the playoffs twice and reached the Super Bowl, also led Les Snead to seek a backup with experience – someone who could keep the ship above water if they had to make a change at quarterback for whatever reason.
It was the experience factor,” Snead said. “When you’re kind of in the phase that we are, we do want to continue winning and having a quarterback who’s been there, done that, definitely helps if you ever have to go to the bullpen.”
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Bortles on McVay: “I think as a quarterback, there’s not really anybody else you’d rather be around if you had your pick.”
Myles Simmons
https://www.therams.com/news/bortles-on-mcvay-i-think-as-a-quarterback-there-s-not-really-anybody-else-you-d-
In the last couple of weeks, the Rams have signed two free agents on the open market — safety Eric Weddle and now quarterback Blake Bortles.
In his introductory press conference last week, Weddle mentioned how the Rams were the first team he visited. Clearly, that went well as the safety never made another.
Just after signing with Los Angeles on Monday, Bortles — the Rams’ No. 2 quarterback heading into the 2019 season — revealed in an interview with therams.com that the process was similar for him.
One trip is all it took to sign a contract with the defending NFC Champions.
“You know, kind of weighing the options that I had prior to going and meeting with anybody — this was the first visit I took — the Rams were the one that stood out to me, kind of the place I wanted to be, and what I thought would be best, personally, for me joining a good football team,” Bortles said Monday. “So kind of when I was around the building talking to people, it really just solidified that. And I got off the phone with my agent and was kind of like, ‘This is where I want to be and where I think is best for me.’”
Reporting surfaced over the weekend that Bortles would meet with the Rams on Monday — a visit that went well enough for the quarterback and L.A. to agree on a one-year deal. Bortles said he wanted Los Angeles to be first on his list in part because of what he knew about the team from afar.
“I think from an outside perspective, offensively watching them play — watching what they do offensively, the schemes, how they do stuff, the effectiveness and efficiency that they do it in,” Bortles said, “it was kind of like, ‘How can I get around that? How can I learn from these guys and be a part of what they’re doing?’”
Now Bortles will be able to do just that. And one of the biggest reasons he’s excited about it is the chance to work closely with head coach Sean McVay.
“I mean, I think as a quarterback, there’s not really anybody else you’d rather be around if you had your pick,” Bortles said. “What he’s done, the people that have been taken out of here for head coaching jobs, and OC jobs in other places I think is a testament to how good he is at what he does, how good of a teacher and a coach he is. And you watch them play, and the effort and intensity that they play at speaks to the type of head coach he is and how he gets the guys going.”
In effect, this will be a new role for Bortles — coming in knowing he’s the No. 2 to quarterback Jared Goff to open the year. But part of why he feels comfortable doing that is because of the players he’s been around in the past.
“I think I was fortunate in Jacksonville to have Chad Henne there with me for four years. And I think watching him play that role the way he did was as good as you could do it,” Bortles said. “And it’s obviously a new spot and a new role for me to play. But I’ve kind of had the exposure to I think how it’s supposed to be done. And I look forward to being that for Jared, and being there — whether it’s supporting him or hyping him up, or being truthful to him. Whatever I can do to help him is kind of what you’re there to do as the backup guy.”
So what is Bortles most excited about for his upcoming 2019 season in horns?
“I think just joining a team that’s already clearly established who they are as an organization and the kind of football that they play,” Bortles said. “I mean, you watch the Rams play, they’re fun to watch. So really for me, it’s just to be a part of that, but learn as much as possible and contribute anything I can.”
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Agamemnon
