Handicapping the Jets 2013 Quarterback Race
By: Carlo Rivieccio
The New York Jets. They get it. They chose next season, not only considered to be one of the weakest QB draft classes in recent memory, but also a very weak free agent class, to have a genuine quarterback catastrophe. A Quartastrophe if you will. Mark Sanchez has regressed. Tim Tebow - Mr. Team First - didn’t get his way and essentially took his ball and went home and will most certainly be gone. Greg McElroy is a back-up at best.
So what do the Jets do? Who will start for them?
Let’s handicap the contenders and then make a prediction.
THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
Joe Flacco – 500 to 1
He’s staying in Baltimore. Even if he somehow he doesn’t re-sign there, there are plenty of other opportunities for him.
Jason Campbell - 100 to 1
I know what you’re thinking. Jason Campbell? One hundred to one? Isn’t this the guy that has the stink of losing on him? Run out of Washington. Injured out of Oakland. Backing up Cutler. Jason Campbell is the the cream of the free agent crop. It needs to be repeated. Jason Campbell is the cream of the Free-Agent crop. Jason. Campbell. So while he may not be the person you desperately want, he is the best available. Someone is going to give him way more money than you think. The Jets are in no position to pay top dollar for a quarterback, not with Sanchez’ cap number hovering over them like poltergeist. The Jets need to look lower down the list and cheaper.
Drew Stanton - 50 to 1
Has starting experience. Would come at a relatively low price. Would make a very good placeholder while you rebuild. Would be a nearly perfect candidate and at significantly lower odds…if…the Jets didn’t already screw him around. For those that don’t remember, the Jets acquired him to be the backup and made some less than honest promises to him. Five days later they trade for Tebow. And Stanton demands and receives his ticket out of town. Probably not coming back.
Matt Moore - 25 to 1
It could be a coup. Moore, whose value rose dramatically this past off-season after going 6-6 in his starts in Miami and then plummeted back down to earth after being passed over for David Garrard and Ryan Tannehill could be addition by subtraction. A career back-up he has played adequately when actually given a chance. However, there’s one snag. He doesn’t want to leave Miami. If he’s happy in his role and location it would would take a great offer to pry him away. There are other teams that could use his services. And the Jets can’t offer anything like “Imagine throwing to Larry Fitzgerald” to lure in a QB.
ONCE YOU DISMISS ALL THE REST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS…
Chase Daniel – 12 to 1
Intriguing, but hes thrown 9 passes in 4 years. After four seasons in New Orleans it might just be time to see what he’s got. New Orleans was going to go with him if Brees held out. He’ll most likely work out for a few teams, though most might see him strictly as a backup.
Landry Jones – 10 to 1
Scouting Negatives: Arm needs to be stronger. Mechanics need work. Should be placed with a great quarterback coach. Struggles to read defenses.
Biggest obstacle to him starting – He has to fall to the Jets.
David Garrard - 2 to 1
This is all you need to know about the state of Quarterback Play in the NFL. Garrard has not played since 2010 due to injury and Ryan Tannehill. Yet he has recently declared himself healthy and ready to play. If that is so, then he’ll see his share of workouts from most teams looking for a veteran to hold a clipboard for a kid. But a few teams, like the Jets, Chiefs and Cardinals could use a player like him to hold down the fort for a season, on a low risk contract. He could use the potential to start for a bad team to get that one last deal. It’s all up to his health. His potential contract may not hinder the Jets if they have to swallow the entire Sanchez cap hit. He’ll be given a chance to compete for the Starting Job and Mark Sanchez being, well, Mark Sanchez, he has the best shot at starting at some point with the Jets
WHY GOD
Michael Vick - 5 to 2
He’s aging. He’s slowing. He’s a turnover machine. He isn’t nearly as mobile as he was. He’ll never be a pocket passer. He has received two 100 million dollar contracts and been cut from both. The Jets don’t have nearly the receiving talent or the running backs that Philly had. But he’s a star. And Woody Johnson has to sell PSL’s. And The Jets have the worlds most expensive case of Little Man Syndrome in the world. So, while, a normal, rational person might say that this is a bad idea all around don’t put it past the Jets.
HEAVEN ON THEIR MINDS
Tim Tebow - -500 to 1
Just kidding.
SOMEWHERE THAT’S GREEN
Mark Sanchez – Even Money
It’s happening. Mark Sanchez, barring something miraculous, will absolutely be starting for the Jets next year. He’s owed over 12 million next year alone (all guaranteed) including signing bonus. His cap hit could be over 25 million if he’s cut or traded. He’ll earn 8.25 million next year, which is significantly less. You can’t trade him because that would require one of the following: Sanchez agrees to renegotiate his deal, The Jets pay a significant portion of his salary to go away and/or The Jets find a team who want him to start (so that they don’t have to pay). Not high odds on any of that. Which leads us to one more year of watching a millionaire nearly cry for 16 more weeks.
Sanchez starts season as starter and gets replaced by…David Garrard. Heaven Help Us!
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