New York Jets: Salary cap and the franchise quarterback

The New York Jets have been seeking a franchise quarterback in 2018, but the salary cap is what will keep them from getting one this year.

Russell Wilson will be a free agent in 2020, and the Seattle Seahawks are learning that teams will die by the salary cap when they pay their franchise quarterback. This is the reason why the New York Jets should not go after a franchise quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Regardless of what you think about the talent of or what Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield can become, the 2018 NFL Draft is the wrong place to go after a franchise quarterback. That’s because of the hard salary cap of the NFL.

The quarterback is widely viewed as the most important player on the field, because he touches the ball on every play. Here’s the problem, that comes with a huge pay jump from his rookie salary, if he’s actually good. So, even if they “miss out” on a franchise guy this year, is it worth the risk that the team will definitely be a Super Bowl contender before his first four-year contract is up?

Even if they are, the Jets may still be a player or two away from winning it all any way. Seven of the Eagles 22 starters in Super Bowl LII were 2017 free agent signings. When players at other positions contracts are up, their next contract won’t be a damaging to the cap number.

The best way to avoid this issue is to build the roster first, and then, get a franchise quarterback near the end. In that case you will not only have the piece in place that can help the quarterback be successful already, but you can keep most of the roster in tact and make a long run for a longer period of time.

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The way the cap is structured most teams won’t be able to do what the Patriots did for that length of time. However, a five or six-year window is much better than a one or two-year one. The team may seem desperate for a franchise quarterback, but now isn’t the time.