5 QB options for the Jaguars if Bortles gets cut

It's starting to look like Blake Bortles' days as a Jacksonville Jaguar are numbered.

After an offseason of struggles for the former third overall pick, Chad Henne was announced as the starter for the team's third preseason game Thursday, which is generally the game most teams use as a tune-up for their first-team units. With a solid roster overall - minus the quarterback and offensive line positions - it would be no surprise to see the Jaguars let another quarterback get the ball in the hands of his playmakers for a season.

Here are five options to either start over Henne or back him up if the Jaguars end the Bortles era this summer:

Mark Sanchez

Sanchez is currently on the Bears' roster, but with Mike Glennon and Mitch Trubisky both guaranteed to make the team, the veteran quarterback may very well be cut in similar fashion to last summer.

The 30-year-old has become a journeyman of sorts since losing his starting job with the Jets in 2013; however, his leadership skills and ability to be a supportive teammate have been praised at every stop. Sanchez would again be a backup in Jacksonville, using his eight years of experience to help the young Jaguars roster.

Matt Barkley

Depending on how many quarterbacks the 49ers plan to keep, Barkley could be available as a cut candidate or a low-value trade asset. The former USC quarterback isn't in contention to take over Brian Hoyer's starting job and doesn't have the potential to compete with rookie C.J. Beathard.

Barkley would likely come in as a backup with the Jaguars, though he does have recent starting experience and could take over the job after learning the playbook if Henne struggles. The 26-year-old started six games for the Bears last season, throwing for over 300 yards three times despite only winning once.

Paxton Lynch

Lynch and Bortles find themselves in similar scenarios, as the Broncos' quarterback the starting job to Trevor Siemian and there's a chance he's available for trade. He would need time to adjust before getting any playing time, and would still be a bit of a project player, but the former first-rounder has athletic gifts to be taken advantage of.

The Broncos are likely hoping for a decent return for their 23-year-old, but there isn't much on-field evidence to suggest he was worth the draft spot. Depending on the price tag, Lynch could be a low-risk, high-reward player for the Jaguars, and if he didn't happen to work out, passers in the 2018 draft are expected to be the best in recent memory.

AJ McCarron

Judging by the Bengals' reported asking price, a trade for McCarron would essentially anoint him the new starter; maybe not right away, but once he gets in, he'd be the man for the foreseeable future.

McCarron and his three NCAA national championships could help bring a winning culture to the Jaguars along with new vice president of football operation Tom Coughlin. The 26-year-old hasn't had a chance to prove himself yet, as he's started only three games in his career, with a 2-1 record.

Colin Kaepernick

It seems like if the Jaguars wanted to sign Kaepernick they would have done it by now, but maybe without Bortles on the roster, they will finally become the team to end the apparent blackballing.

Kaepernick would instantly become the Jaguars' best quarterback, and his mobility would be ideal for their run-first offensive system. He's also the easiest quarterback on this list to acquire as a heavily publicized free agent. The move would also inject a level of excitement and relevance to the Jaguars they haven't had in recent memory.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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