In the last couple of weeks, the Rams have signed two free agents on the open market — safety Eric Weddle and now quarterback Blake Bortles.
In his introductory press conference last week, Weddle mentioned how the Rams were the first team he visited. Clearly, that went well as the safety never made another.
Just after signing with Los Angeles on Monday, Bortles — the Rams’ No. 2 quarterback heading into the 2019 season — revealed in an interview with therams.com that the process was similar for him.
One trip is all it took to sign a contract with the defending NFC Champions.
“You know, kind of weighing the options that I had prior to going and meeting with anybody — this was the first visit I took — the Rams were the one that stood out to me, kind of the place I wanted to be, and what I thought would be best, personally, for me joining a good football team,” Bortles said Monday. "So kind of when I was around the building talking to people, it really just solidified that. And I got off the phone with my agent and was kind of like, ‘This is where I want to be and where I think is best for me.’”
Reporting surfaced over the weekend that Bortles would meet with the Rams on Monday — a visit that went well enough for the quarterback and L.A. to agree on a one-year deal. Bortles said he wanted Los Angeles to be first on his list in part because of what he knew about the team from afar.
“I think from an outside perspective, offensively watching them play — watching what they do offensively, the schemes, how they do stuff, the effectiveness and efficiency that they do it in,” Bortles said, “it was kind of like, ‘How can I get around that? How can I learn from these guys and be a part of what they’re doing?’”
Now Bortles will be able to do just that. And one of the biggest reasons he’s excited about it is the chance to work closely with head coach Sean McVay.
“I mean, I think as a quarterback, there’s not really anybody else you’d rather be around if you had your pick,” Bortles said. “What he’s done, the people that have been taken out of here for head coaching jobs, and OC jobs in other places I think is a testament to how good he is at what he does, how good of a teacher and a coach he is. And you watch them play, and the effort and intensity that they play at speaks to the type of head coach he is and how he gets the guys going.”
Check out the best photos of the new Los Angeles Rams quarterback Blake Bortles.
FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, file photo, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) celebrates his touchdown pass to wide receiver Keelan Cole (84) during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars might as well dub this the Payback Tour 2018. It started last week against when Jaguars won against two-time defending AFC champion New England. Now, the Jaguars get AFC South rival, the Tennessee Titans. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass during the second half of the NFL AFC Championship football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in Foxborough, Mass. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs the ball, during the second half at an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) shake hands during warm ups prior to an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at EverBank Field, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Rams defeated the Jaguars 27-17. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles warms up before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) looks on prior to a play during a NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Logan Bowles via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles on the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) looks on during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Indianapolis. (NFL Photos via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) scrambles and jumps for a touchdown during a game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday Nov. 26, 2017 in Glendale, Ariz. (Gene Lower via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles warms up before an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws the ball as he warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Doug Murray via AP)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) talk after an NFL game at EverBank Field, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Rams defeated the Jaguars 27-17. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Thursday, Dec. 06, 2018 in Nashville,TN. (Aaron Doster via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) looks to pass during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Tom DiPace via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) warms up before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) during an NFL regular season football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys won, 40-7. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) warms up before the first half of an NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) adjusts the offense from the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) wears a smile as he rests on the bench following a 4th quarter touchdown pass against the New England Patriots in an NFL game Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Jacksonville, Fl. (Rick Wilson via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass against the New York Giants in an NFL game Sunday, September 9, 2018 in East Rutherford, NJ. (Rick Wilson via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars center Brandon Linder (65) and quarterback Blake Bortles (5) leave the tunnel before kick-off against the Tennessee Titans in an NFL game Sunday, September 23, 2018 in Jacksonville, Fl. (Rick Wilson via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) warms up before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) scrambles during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs for a first down during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017 in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won the game, 27-24. (Greg Trott via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Falcons 17-6. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) sets up to throw a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) celebrates his touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints with teammates wide receiver Marqise Lee, left, and tight end Ben Koyack during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) looks to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FILE - In this Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018 file photo, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles celebrates a touchdown run by running back Leonard Fournette during the first half of the AFC championship NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles had quite the start to his offseason. He had wrist surgery. He signed a $54 million contract. And he nearly got robbed. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, right, hands off to running back T.J. Yeldon (24) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass during pregame warm-ups against the Houston Texans during an NFL game Sunday, December 30, 2018 in Houston. (Rick Wilson via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) during warm ups prior to an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Falcons 17-6. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Jim Cowsert)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) walks to a huddle on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars won 31-20. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles smiles at teammates during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
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In effect, this will be a new role for Bortles — coming in knowing he’s the No. 2 to quarterback Jared Goff to open the year. But part of why he feels comfortable doing that is because of the players he’s been around in the past.
“I think I was fortunate in Jacksonville to have Chad Henne there with me for four years. And I think watching him play that role the way he did was as good as you could do it,” Bortles said. “And it’s obviously a new spot and a new role for me to play. But I’ve kind of had the exposure to I think how it’s supposed to be done. And I look forward to being that for Jared, and being there — whether it’s supporting him or hyping him up, or being truthful to him. Whatever I can do to help him is kind of what you’re there to do as the backup guy.”
So what is Bortles most excited about for his upcoming 2019 season in horns?
“I think just joining a team that’s already clearly established who they are as an organization and the kind of football that they play,” Bortles said. “I mean, you watch the Rams play, they’re fun to watch. So really for me, it’s just to be a part of that, but learn as much as possible and contribute anything I can.”
