The Jacksonville Jaguars have the cap space to pursue impending free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, but do they have the inclination? Will they move away from Blake Bortles and spend big on a veteran quarterback?

Tony Pauline of DraftAnalysis.com thinks so and he thinks it’s closer to happening than what we thought when the season ended, according to whispers he’s heard around the league when he was at this year’s Senior Bowl.

“Despite rumors and even a few reports, I’m told Kirk Cousins to the Denver Broncos is not a done deal. Denver is one of approximately eight franchises who intend on competing for the services of Cousins ... One surprise franchise who also intends to be part of the Cousins sweepstakes is the Jacksonville Jaguars. I initially heard about the Jags’ interest in Cousins during practices at the Shrine Game, and the rumblings have been persistent and have grown louder since.”

Pauline was later invited onto 1010XL’s “Jaguars Today” radio program and talked a little bit more about his knowledge of the situation, reiterating that Cousins to the Jaguars could be a very real possibility.

“During the Senior Bowl and a week afterward I was hearing there could be eight teams involved and the name Jacksonville kept popping up. So earlier this week I was told by someone that it could come down to Denver and the Jacksonville Jaguars. So over the course of the last three weeks, it seems to me from talking to different people [not just one source] through multiple events that the Jaguars are going to be major players in acquiring Kirk Cousins.”

(Thanks to The Jags Wire for transcribing part of the interview.)

Long story short; the fear of wrecking the future salary cap by signing Cousins is based on a lack of information, more than anything else. And Bortles, despite quarterbacking in an AFC Championship game, did not lead the Jaguars that deeply into the playoffs. He was the quarterback, the defense led this team there.

Not only that, but the Jaguars set themselves up in the future to be able to do that in case Blake Bortles ended up being the guy and needed to be paid. That’s one funny thing about looking at the future cap figures and projections is, the Jaguars set themselves up to be able to pay a veteran quarterback this year or next, because they had to prepare for it.

To hear all of Pauline’s interview with the 1010XL folks, feel free to listen below starting at the 56:30 mark.