Gang Green Gutted: Assessing What the Jets Can Do at QB This Offseason
Image Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
FLORHAM PARK, New Jersey (PSF) - What a season it was for the New York Jets. A franchise, that still hasn’t sniffed the postseason since 2010, once again finds themselves with a question mark attached to the quarterback position on their roster.
The season started out very promising for Gang Green, with a 5-2 record over their first seven games with impressive wins over Pittsburgh, Miami, and Green Bay. However, as Jets fans know best, the season ultimately flamed out as New York finished with a record of 7-10, good enough for last place in the AFC East.
No one played a bigger role in New York’s annual flame out party than second year quarterback Zach Wilson, who many already want out of town. Wilson, the BYU Cougar product who was once poised for a sophomore breakout campaign, instead had to settle for a sophomore slump which included him getting benched multiple times, booed off the field by Jets fans, and throwing his defense under the bus after one of several disastrous performances.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Adam Hunger
After that specific performance vs. the New England Patriots where the Jets offense was only able to put three points up on the board, a reporter asked Wilson whether he felt that he let the defense down at all to which he answered stubbornly:
“No.”
This was the turning point in the Jets’ season and for many in the fanbase as after these comments were made by Wilson, he was benched for five-year veteran QB Mike White, and the Jets finished with a record of 1-6 down the stretch.
White offered some hope and promise, but after suffering a rib injury vs. Minnesota and Buffalo in weeks 13 and 14, Wilson took over again in week 15 vs. Detroit which ended in a 20-17 Lions victory before New York went on to drop all three of their next contests.
General Manager Joe Douglas and Head Coach Robert Saleh now find themselves at a crossroad with Wilson and the decision of who will be next seasons starter, which has sent Jets Twitter and their fanbase into a frenzy.
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Slotted to pick 13th in April’s draft, the easy answer would be to just take another quarterback in the first round, hoping that this quarterback is the one that finally works out. Florida’s Anthony Richardson comes to mind, who the Jets would be in prime position to select and has gotten comparisons to Cam Newton and Josh Allen.
While this seems appealing to the casual fan, two issues arise with this proposal:
1) The Jets already have a quarterback on a rookie deal in Wilson.
2) The Jets roster is already ready to compete for a championship, so they cannot wait a few years for a developmental prospect like Richardson to come into his own.
This leaves Douglas and Saleh with the decision of if they want to give Wilson one more shot as the starter next season while upgrading the roster with all six of their picks and the 17th most cap space in the league, have Wilson and White battle it out in training camp and may the best man win, or bring in a proven veteran quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr, or even Tom Brady.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
If I’m Joe Douglas, I’m giving Garoppolo a blank check. Not only has Garoppolo proved that he can lead a team to the Super Bowl, but he also has the most familiarity with the coaching staff as Head Coach Robert Saleh was the Defensive Coordinator in San Fransisco before he took the Jets Head Coaching job. Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFleur was also the 49ers’ passing game coordinator for Garoppolo. Garoppolo knows the offense like the back of his hand, which would make this an easy transition for the 31-year-old vet. Durability and an injury history are real concerns with Garoppolo, but keeping Wilson on his rookie deal would solve this issue and serve as a good insurnace policy if Garoppolo were to go down.
In this scenario the Jets wouldn’t have to give up any draft assets for Carr unless the Raiders decide to cut him, and the chances of Brady signing with the Jets are very unlikely after he saw how dysfunctional of an organization they were after he tore them up twice a season over the last two decades.
It also doesn’t hurt when you have Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker as two of your top offensive linemen, Breece Hall as your starting running back, and soon to be superstar wide receiver Garrett Wilson as your top pass catcher in addition to the likes of Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, C.J. Uzomah, and Tyler Conklin.
Sometimes in football it’s not all about X’s and O’s, but more so Jimmy and Joes, as signing Jimmy Garoppolo would be Joe Douglas’s and the Jets’ best option at quarterback for the 2023 season.
