Quarterback Blake Bortles will reap the fruits of Jacksonville’s playoff run with a three-year, $54 million contract from the Jaguars, ESPN reported Saturday.
The deal could be worth up to $66.5 million through the 2020 season with incentives and includes $26.5 million in guaranteed money.
Bortles was set to be paid $19.053 million next season under the fifth-year option of his contract that the Jaguars picked up last May.
The news comes after there were reports the Jaguars were reviewing their options to possibly replace Bortles.
In leading the Jaguars to the AFC Championship game in 2017, Bortles connected on 60.2 percent of his passes for 3,687 yards and 21 touchdowns with 13 interceptions during the regular season.
The Jaguars won the AFC South with a 10-6 record and then beat the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs before losing a 24-20 battle with the New England Patriots that kept them from going to the Super Bowl. Jacksonville hadn’t been to the playoffs since the 2007 season.
Bortles finished the postseason with a 57.6 percent completion percentage for 594 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He added 121 yards rushing on 17 carries.
Going into the 2017 season, Bortles appeared to be fighting for his job. The third overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft had struggled, leading the NFL in turnovers with 63 from 2014 to 2016.
Bortles was benched in the preseason last summer and replaced by Chad Henne, but Bortles rebounded and took control of the offense.
In four seasons with the Jaguars, Bortles has thrown for 14,928 yards and completed 59.1 percent of his passes with 90 touchdowns and 64 interceptions. His rushing totals are 1,410 yards and seven touchdowns.
Bortles is 21-40 as a starter.