Recently hired New York Jets quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates has Jay Cutler ties, but he’s reportedly not the likely target in the Big Apple.
After an abysmal season from Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Bryce Petty as a collective for the New York Jets, they head into the 2017 offseason with few answers at quarterback. Maybe Petty or Christian Hackenberg are the guy for the future, but that’s yet to be determined. What has been determined is that Jeremy Bates will be coming in to coach the quarterbacks in New York.
Upon Bates’ hiring, the scuttlebutt was that this put the Jets in play to pursue Jay Cutler this offseason. Bates has spent his coaching career working with Cutler and the Chicago Bears quarterback is almost a formality to be released or traded. However, it looks as if his new team won’t be the Jets—despite the connection to Bates.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported on Thursday that it’s unlikely that the Jets will pursue Cutler this offseason. In fact, Cimini also adds that the Jets reportedly have free-agent Mike Glennon and likely soon-to-be free-agent Tyrod Taylor ahead of Cutler on their proverbial quarterback wish list.
Taylor and Glennon would both make a bit more sense than Cutler, though for different reasons. In the case of Taylor, he’s the mobile quarterback you’d have to assume they were looking for in Geno Smith, though Smith’s potential never materialized. With Glennon, they would be getting a player with inexperience, but strong flashes when given opportunities. More importantly, both players are younger than Cutler and have a longer shelf-life as a result.
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Of course, pursuing any of these three players in free agency is hardly a guarantee that any of them will sign with the Jets. If the price is right, sure. However, New York isn’t exactly the most desirable of situations currently. Therefore, it’s best to consider this situation fluid despite these reports.