NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints warms up during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 24, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Defender inexplicably trashes former No. 3 overall pick while talking up Drew Brees

Heading into his fourth NFL season, there are plenty of indications that suggest he may be on a short leash.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has been having a terrible lead up to the 2017 season, and recent comments from New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan aren't going to make it any better.

Recently speaking with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Jordan threw some major shade at Bortles. Yes, he was talking about an all-time great in Drew Brees, but he used Bortles, and his struggles heading into 2017, as the low bar Brees is jumping over.

There's no doubting the fact that playing against a quarterback as good as Brees in practice is helpful to a defense — though that doesn't explain the Saints' porous defense as of late — but at this point, Jordan is simply piling on the the beleaguered Jaguars' signal-caller.

It's no secret that Bortles is struggling right now. In fact, head coach Doug Marrone recently expressed concern over his quarterback after a practice that saw Bortles throw five interceptions:

"I think anytime someone doesn't perform to what you want to do, you're concerned about it," coach Doug Marrone said. "He's not the only one that's out there. There's some good things.

"We're going to look at it. We're going to look at those plays. If there's any struggle or things we don't like, then obviously we're going to be smart enough to throw that crap out."

He also said this, per Mike Garafolo:

Heading into his fourth NFL season, there are plenty of indications that suggest Bortles may be on a short leash in Jacksonville. He was drafted third overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, so the organization certainly has a ton invested in him, but when push comes to shove, if he can't live up to his potential at this stage of his career he may not be worth the headaches for Jacksonville.

In three seasons, Bortles has thrown for 11,241 yards and 69 touchdowns, but he's also thrown 51 interceptions. He started all 16 of Jacksonville's games in 2015 and 2016 and 14 games in 2014.

Jacksonville has gone 11-37 in those three seasons.