Doug Marrone: Blake Bortles’ throwing has ‘improved’

If the Jacksonville Jaguars are serious about being a contender, it starts with an improved performance from quarterback Blake Bortles.

To that end, Jaguars coach Doug Marrone has been keeping a close eye on Bortles during practice — and has optimistically reported positive results so far.

Marrone on the way Bortles is throwing: "I think improved, there's no doubt about it." #Jaguars

— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) May 13, 2017

It will be impossible to know for sure if Bortles really has taken a step forward until we see him in a game situation. He’s coming off a season in which he threw 16 interceptions, and he himself has spoken about tweaking his mechanics. The team has invested a lot of faith in him, and they’re going to need him to be better if the organization as a whole wants to take a real step forward.