The New York Jets are running out of options at the quarterback position from the outside. Inside, and unpopular, might be the only option.
The New York Jets have a problem and they are running out of solutions for it. It’s an age-old problem that Jets fans have been familiar with, some for decades, some for their entire lives as fans. Say it with me: the quarterback position. Ever since Joe Namath left the franchise, the Jets have been searching for the elusive franchise quarterback. It’s safe to say they are still looking.
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Nobody at One Jets Drive is convinced that either Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg are ready to play, although they will be part of the competition. There is speculation as to whether or not the Jets will choose yet another quarterback in the draft. One thing that is common knowledge is that the team is in the market for a starting quarterback that can play immediately.
The question is, who is that going to be? One possibility was Tyrod Taylor. New York was waiting for word on whether he was going to stay in Buffalo. Well:
Buffalo is keeping Tyrod Taylor on a restructured contract, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2017
Oops—so much for that. Another guy was Mike Glennon. He’s still young, has a good touchdown to interception ratio (2:1). He is looking for a chance to play after sitting behind Jameis Winston. He could be the answer, right? Per Conor Orr of NFL.com, Glennon has selected the Bears as his choice destination, and according to Ian Rappaport of the NFL network, the deal is as good as done.
That was a good idea while it lasted. So who is next? Brian Hoyer is a player the Jets have shown interest in. What’s his status?
Source: FA QB Brian Hoyer is headed to the #49ers. Reunion with Kyle Shanahan
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2017
Okay, that’s three guys the Jets were interested in that are off the table. So where do they go from here?
Tony Romo will be available, but he will not come to New York; mark it down. Nor should he, as he is in a place where he needs to win now. Colin Kaepernick is available. They may show interest in him, but think about it. They supposedly were interested last year, but that was never serious. After a year of protests, though he says that is over, are they all of a sudden going to show extreme interest? It’s not as if he became Peyton Manning overnight.
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The Jay Cutler idea was one that was making the rounds for a while. That one just hasn’t seemed to materialize though, has it? There is one guy, however, that has not generated any noise on the open market. He’s familiar with the Jets and he would cost very little. Jets fans won’t be happy to hear his name, however.
Think about it. He’s the only logical name left. Wouldn’t that be just the way it turns out? The Jets take too long to make any waves in the free agent market so they are stuck with the guy that was already there. Jets fans, get your groans out now.
When this realization came to mind, it did not bring up feelings of happiness, nor will it for many of you. However, the more I thought about it, I realized it’s not as bad as you might think. Hear me out before you close your browsers.
Geno Smith has never performed consistently, that’s a given. But if we are being honest about it, he has flashed. He already has seven game-winning drives to his credit and three fourth-quarter comebacks. Remember the first start in his rookie season? He led the team to a last-second field goal to beat the Buccaneers on opening weekend. How about that performance on Monday Night Football against the Falcons? He was a near-perfect 16-of-20 for 199 yards and three touchdowns, not to mention leading the team to a come from behind win and a game-winning drive.
These types of things don’t happen if there isn’t something there. How about the perfect rating against the Dolphins? No, the game didn’t mean anything, but that type of performance in any NFL game is an accomplishment. It’s still the NFL, showcasing the best players in the world. To perform that well on any one day is an accomplishment, period. These weren’t the only instances. Geno Smith has had moments where he has played well.
Therefore, there are two scenarios that could play out and both are positive for the Jets. If Geno stays and earns the job, new offensive coordinator John Morton could finally get through to him. He becomes a consistent NFL quarterback and he shows the ability worthy of a second round draft choice. The second is that he plays terribly, possibly loses his job, and the Jets have a high draft pick in a quarterback-rich 2018 draft. Both of these are scenarios that work out well for the Jets.
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If Smith is the guy, don’t lose your minds Jets fans. It is not a scenario that many of us will be happy with but it isn’t all bad. It is so crazy it just might work.