The Jets answered some questions about their quarterback plans with Sam Darnold’s trade. It is clear that BYU’s Zach Wilson will be No. 2 in the draft on April 29th.
Even with that seemingly decided, though, there’s a clear hole in the Jets quarterback room. Who will be Wilson’s backup?
At the moment, the only quarterbacks contracted with the Jets are James Morgan and Mike White. Neither of them has ever had a catch in a regular season NFL game. Morgan hasn’t even played in a preseason game.
Clearly, the Jets can’t get into the 2021 season with three quarterbacks who have no real experience in the NFL. So this lets them go through the veteran QB market, which is never robust. It is full of players whose glory days are far behind or never materialize.
General manager Joe Douglas has had such a player on a visit this week. Veteran Brian Hoyer, 35, entered Thursday. The Jets didn’t sign him, but it’s the only known option they’ve explored right now.
Joe Flacco was Darnold’s backup last year. He started 0-4 in his early last season, but played much better in his third and fourth starts than the first two. The Jets had some interest in returning him back, but Flacco signed with the Eagles.
Douglas was asked to add a veteran quarterback on Tuesday. He threw some praise at Morgan and White, but seemed to be talking about GM.
“When it comes to the quarterback, I’d tell you we’re very excited about James Morgan and Mike White,” Douglas said. “And I know you didn’t get a chance to really see them. Viously, obviously, they didn’t have a chance this year without preseason games, but they were really excited about these two guys.
“And I would just say that, as in any room of our team, if there is an opportunity to add it, let it be a little better, we will pursue this opportunity. Therefore, there is a constant discussion in our professional exploration department with our technical staff about not only the quarterback room, but also any other position ”.
The options available on the market right now are not exactly inspiring. Alex Smith is the best in the group, but he has big health questions after the horrific leg injury he suffered in Washington in 2018. He played again last year, but questions remain about his long-term durability . He would fit into Wilson’s mentor role, having done so in San Francisco with Colin Kaepernick and in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes.
After Smith, there is a group of professional backups like Hoyer, Matt Barkley, Blaine Gabbert, AJ McCarron and Blake Bortles. None of them will excite anyone, but they are all experienced NFL quarterbacks who could teach Wilson about being professional.
Douglas could also be looking for a quarterback to break free from another team through a trade or be cut. The Panthers buy Teddy Bridgewater after acquiring Darnold. It looks unlikely the Jets will switch to Bridgewater, but they could jump if it cuts. Bridgewater may be looking for a team where he can start and not just be a mentor or keep the seat warm for Wilson, though. Other players to watch are Gardner Minshew of the Jaguars, Kyle Allen of Washington and Jeff Driskel of the Broncos as these teams figure out their quarterback rooms.
The Jets have lost their last 15 games with a quarterback since 2016, when Bryce Petty won a game in the 49ers. Douglas has his plan on the starting quarterback. Now, you need to get the direct backup.