With Allen Robinson reportedly leaving the Jaguars to join the Bears, Marqise Lee immediately became a top priority for Jacksonville. And the franchise acted like it.
The Jaguars and Lee reportedly agreed to terms on Tuesday to a four-year contract worth up to $38 million, with $18 million guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Lee will be a familiar face for quarterback Blake Bortles, who won't have Robinson to throw to anymore.
Although Robinson was clearly the No. 1 target in Jacksonville during his tenure, Lee got his share of touches. Over the course of four seasons, Lee caught 171 passes for for 2,166 yards. Robinson in effect played only three years in Jacksonville, tearing his ACL in Week 1 last season. Robinson's price was steep -- three years for $42 million -- but if the Bears get the 2015 edition of Robinson that led the league in touchdowns with 14, it will be worth it.
Keelan Cole had a breakout season for the Jaguars in 2017 after going undrafted, catching 42 passes for 748 yards. With Robinson gone for good, the Jaguars will need to find someone who can pick up the slack more consistently -- and they're apparently hoping Lee can at least make a dent in that production.
The team is coming off an AFC Championship game berth, falling to the Patriots, but it has Super Bowl aspirations behind a tough defense and a bruising running game. Leonard Fournette was responsible for a lot of the Jaguars' offensive production last year, and the team has already committed to Bortles for the next three years. Jacksonville clearly has faith in Bortles, but it will likely expect more out of him in the coming seasons. That onus also falls on Lee by extension.
