Packers: Contract details of Blake Bortles’ one-year deal

It’s unclear what role Blake Bortles will play for the Green Bay Packers in 2021.

With Aaron Rodgers’ future uncertain, you could make a case for Bortles beginning the season as the Packers’ starting quarterback. But if Rodgers returns, it’s possible Bortles won’t even make the 53-man roster.

But we do now know more about his contract with the Packers. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Bortles signed a one-year deal with the Packers worth $1.075 million with no signing bonus or guaranteed money.

So there is no risk in signing Bortles whatsoever. According to Over The Cap, his cap hit for 2021 is just $850,000, and should Green Bay decide to move on at any stage, it would pay nothing in dead money.

For the time being, Bortles gives the team an experienced passer for OTAs, which is important with Rodgers not yet attending practices. Second-year Jordan Love will get plenty of reps, but Bortles is a veteran with 73 regular-season starts to his name.

If Rodgers returns for the 2021 season, the Packers may decide to go with just two quarterbacks and release Bortles. But should Rodgers not play this year and the team decides that Love isn’t quite ready to take over as the starter, Bortles can be a solid short-term option.

The former third overall pick has thrown for 17,649 yards, 103 touchdowns, and 75 interceptions in his career. He was the starting quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars for five years, where he was coached by Nathaniel Hackett for four of those seasons.

Since then, Bortles has spent time as the backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams.

Whether Bortles will play all 16 regular-season games for the Packers or not even make the roster remains to be seen. But with Rodgers’ future up in the air, signing him has proved to be a low-risk move that makes a lot of sense.