Blake Bortles Getting Reduced Reps in Jaguars Practices Due to a Tired Arm

In what could be a foreboding sign as he approaches the most pivotal year of his NFL career, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said quarterback Blake Bortles appeared to have a "tired" arm in practice Monday.

"I just saw that his arm looked tired, so rather than push him knowing he was going to get all the reps that we needed for these next couple of days, I just said, 'Hey, it's my decision,'" Marrone said of Bortles, per the Associated Press (via FoxSports.com). "He said, 'Hey, I'm good. I can go.' I said, 'Look, let's just be smart.'"

Bortles is in the midst of a rough preseason.

He was 3-of-5 for 16 yards in Jacksonville's 31-24 win over the New England Patriots last Thursday.

In practice, the fourth-year passer has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. He most notably threw five interceptions during a seven-on-seven drill July 30. The AP's Mark Long tweeted Monday that Bortles threw an interception on the first play of an 11-on-11 drill with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman wrote Bortles still could emerge as a franchise quarterback but that he hasn't shown significant progress since entering the NFL in 2014. Freeman also spoke to a scout who offered this assessment of the 25-year-old:

"He is a really good guy. I've met him and talked to him. I know he tries. He's not lazy. He's just overwhelmed. You can see it on film. He gets confused pretty easily by (defensive) looks that aren't all that complicated. That's why his mechanics are a problem. He gets panicked by defenses and the rush and falls back on bad habits."

Bortles is coming off a 2016 season in which he threw for 3,905 yards, 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Football Outsiders ranked him 23rd among 34 qualified quarterbacks in DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement).

Bortles is signed through the 2018 season, but were the Jaguars to cut him before June 1, 2018, they'd save all of his $19 million salary, per Over the Cap.

Given the scarcity of starting-caliber options at the position, teams are wary about jettisoning young quarterbacks. Should Bortles struggle for yet another year, though, Jacksonville may be forced to ask tough questions about his long-term future with the team.