Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone announced Monday afternoon that Cody Kessler will replace Blake Bortles as the team's starting quarterback in Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts.

The news comes after Marrone fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and promoted quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich to take over the play-calling duties on offense.

The Jaguars fell to the Buffalo Bills 24-21 on Sunday, marking their seventh consecutive loss and dropping them to 3-8 on the season. With only five games to go in this letdown of a year, Marrone will see if these big-time changes on offense will help Jacksonville close out the season on a high note.

Bortles has only completed 54.5 percent of his passes this season for 2,572 yards and 13 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He was given a three-year extension worth $54 million in the offseason, but it's safe to say the Jaguars will be moving on from Bortles after a third consecutive lackluster season behind center.

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Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Kessler has only appeared in one game this season, replacing a struggling Bortles in their Oct. 21 game vs. the Houston Texans. Kessler completed 21 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown.

The 25-year-old Kessler was drafted in the third round by the Cleveland Browns in 2016. He played nine games in 2016, tossing 1,380 yards and six touchdowns against two interceptions and one fumble. He saw minimal time in 2017 and lost the starting job to DeShone Kizer.

What This Means

It's possible that Bortles has already played his final game as a Jaguar. If Kessler plays above-average down the stretch, Jacksonville will have no reason to go back to their 2014 first-round draft pick.

The Jaguars simply have to move on from Bortles after this season. He's had five years to prove himself as a capable starter in the Sunshine State, and it hasn't come to fruition. With a handful of quarterbacks available via the draft and trade market, Marrone has the prime opportunity to find his next signal-caller.

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