Jaguars GM says Blake Bortles dealt with 'dead arm' late last season

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles was plagued by mechanical issues in his rookie season, but the way he handled things mentally has the team feeling optimistic.

General manager Dave Caldwell told USA TODAY Sports that Bortles was affected by a "dead arm" as a result of his shoulder injury late in the season, which led to a reduction in practice reps.

"People don't realize that as you look later in the season, he was on (the) injury report," Caldwell said after the team wrapped up its offseason program.

"You've just got to do what you've got to do to survive. It wasn't anything that was ingrained in him (mechanically). He knew he was doing it. But in order to drive the ball 15 yards, there were some things that he needed to do to get the velocity on the ball."

Bortles also suffered a toe injury in a December loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but downplays the impact the injuries had on him, saying he "wouldn't blame anything on it. I was fine to play."

Nonetheless, having a functioning arm should make Bortles's job a lot easier this season.

"A lot of it was good until some of those (injuries) happen," Caldwell said. "Now he's gotten healthy, and he's gotten back to really taking care of his body. I just asked him today, 'How's your body feel compared to this time last year?'

"He said, 'It's night and day, man.'"