Blaine Gabbert won't play for the rest of the preseason because of a hairline fracture in his thumb. But he will be the Jacksonville Jaguars' starting quarterback in Week 1.
Jaguars coach Gus Bradley announced both items of news at his press conference Monday, ending the quarterback competition between Gabbert and Chad Henne that had dominated the team's offseason.
Gabbert injured his thumb in Saturday night's 37-13 loss to the Jets when he hit his thumb on an opposing helmet. He will be on the practice field in the coming weeks, but it doesn't sound like he will practice fully until preparations for the team's season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Gabbert's thumb will remain in a hard splint in the meantime.
Some folks around the Jaguars believe that Gabbert versus Henne never was much of a competition; Gabbert was the heavy favorite all along. Their practice numbers were similar, but Gabbert easily out-played Henne in the second preseason game.
Gabbert did a nice job in a hurry-up offense against the Jets, efficiently moving the team with short passes. The ball came out of his hand quickly, which suits Gabbert's skill set.
This season potentially is Gabbert's last chance with the organization. If he doesn't succeed, we'd expect Bradley and new general manager Dave Caldwell to find another quarterback next offseason.
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