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The last time we saw Blake Bortles, he was wearing blue and gold next to Sean McVay on the sidelines. Now, he’s trading it in for mile-high orange.

Bortles is scheduled to visit with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after being unable to find a new team to call home for months, and he’s expected to sign there as soon as today. He left the Los Angeles Rams in the offseason after his one-year contract ran out, and he hasn’t found a suitable situation yet. Could Denver be where Bortles resurrects his career?

Blake Bortles is visiting with the Broncos on Tuesday

Just a few years ago, Bortles was a winning quarterback who led the Jacksonville Jaguars to an AFC Championship game. He fell to the great Tom Brady in the end, but Bortles was a decent fourth quarter away from a Super Bowl appearance in 2018.

Things have gone downhill for Bortles and the Jaguars since. He lost the starting job in Jacksonville to Nick Foles shortly after the AFC title game, and the Rams scooped him up as a free agent to play backup to Jared Goff.

Bortles spent one year with the Rams and only threw two passes in three appearances last season. When no team wanted to sign the veteran QB this offseason, his chances of playing in 2020-21 seemed slim.

Well, not so fast. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Broncos are bringing in Bortles for a visit on Tuesday. They are expected to sign Bortles as their new backup as soon as today.

Bortles could be active for Denver as soon as this Sunday

Drew Lock, Denver’s starting quarterback entering the season, left the game against the Steelers Sunday with a shoulder injury. Later, it was revealed Lock suffered a severe rotator cuff strain and will miss at least 3-5 weeks of action.

Jeff Driskel relieved Lock on Sunday and played as well as Broncos’ fans could’ve hoped for a backup. Brett Rypien is the only other QB on the depth chart as of now, so John Elway clearly needed to bring in another free agent to help out.

That free agent is officially Blake Bortles.

Mike Klis, a Broncos reporter for 9News, reported Tuesday that the Broncos are expected to sign Bortles and add him to the roster as soon as this Friday. He could suit up Sunday as the No. 2 QB on Denver’s depth chart.

Bortles has a chance to resurrect his career in Denver

Once Bortles signs his one-year deal with the Broncos, he will need to pass all of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols before joining the team on Friday. If he does, he will take the field Sunday against… Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Can’t you see it now? Driskel throws two interceptions in a poor first-half performance as the Broncos go down two scores. In comes Bortles, with revenge on his mind from the 2018 AFC title game.

In his first appearance with his new team, Bortles throws three second-half touchdowns and brings Denver back from the dead to slay mighty Brady and the Bucs. Revenge exacted. Bortles is back. He wins the starting job even when Lock returns and becomes a franchise quarterback once again.

Well, one can dream.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.