Last week’s Jets quarterback change may not be a long-term move, per Robert Saleh, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes the expectation is Mike White will keep his new gig against the Vikings and Bills over the next two weeks. White faring reasonably well against those upper-echelon teams could keep Zach Wilson out of the picture for a while.
The Jets have assembled a quality defense quicker than most expected. After ranking last in both total defense and scoring last season, the Jets are a top-five team in both categories in Saleh’s second season. Their defense sits fourth in DVOA, creating legitimate playoff aspirations for the first time since 2015. The Jets have a chance to snap the NFL’s longest playoff drought (11 seasons), leading Saleh to yank Wilson. That move is atypical for a player with Wilson’s draft pedigree and injects uncertainty into the Jets’ quarterback plans beyond 2022.
No quarterback selected in the top five has been benched for performance reasons before the end of his second season since the Bengals sat down 1999 No. 3 overall pick Akili Smith midway through the 2000 campaign. Wilson being shut down represents an obvious red flag about his future. Will the Jets be able to pivot back to last year’s No. 2 overall pick?
QBR places Wilson in 25th, actually two spots ahead of Aaron Rodgers, after the BYU product finished 30th in this metric as a rookie. Passer rating is far less kind; no starter checks in behind Wilson’s 72.6 mark there. Joe Flacco remains the Jets’ touchdown pass leader, with five, despite having exited after three starts to clear another path for Wilson. The Jets used a top-three pick on a quarterback twice in a four-year span, but while Sam Darnold was not holding a well-built defense back, Wilson was. Rumblings of teammates’ waning confidence in the fast-rising prospect surfacing this past offseason certainly open the door to the Jets needing to consider other options for 2023.
White torched a battered Bears secondary, doing so more than a year after he posted the first Jets’ 400-yard passing performance since Vinny Testaverde in 2000. The former Cowboys fifth-round pick has been with the Jets since 2019, initially landing a practice squad gig, and has enjoyed spurts of popularity over the past two seasons. The Jets demoted Flacco for the ex-Day 3 draftee earlier this season. White’s next two performances will help illustrate if the Jets can legitimately consider him for their 2023 starting gig. White, 27, will need to be re-signed next year. His putting together more quality starts will complicate that process for the Jets.
Saleh and OC Mike LaFleur‘s San Francisco ties create a natural path for Jimmy Garoppolo, whom the 49ers cannot retain via the franchise tag due to the sides’ August restructure. Then committed to Wilson, the Jets were not closely linked to Garoppolo during this year’s long-running (and ultimately fruitless) trade sweepstakes, but this could easily become a much-rumored landing spot for the ex-Patriots second-rounder. Will the 49ers, however, be so quick to move on and give the keys back to the largely untested Trey Lance?
A veteran deal would mean cutting into the advantage Wilson’s rookie contract creates, but if Wilson cannot do enough to stay on the field, the Jets need to regroup to capitalize on the defense they have built. The Broncos took this route in 2018, which would have been No. 26 overall pick Paxton Lynch‘s third season. Denver waived the first-round bust months after signing Case Keenum.
The Raiders have not lived up to expectations in Josh McDaniels‘ first season, and the second-chance HC — who is likely to return for another season — has a slim window to unload Derek Carr‘s three-year, $121.4MM contract. Three days after Super Bowl LVII, Carr is owed $40.5MM — his 2023 salary and $7.5MM of his 2024 base — creating an avenue for a trade. The Jets would need to act swiftly, and it would wall off a Garoppolo path a month before it could open. But Carr could be available ahead of his age-32 season, should McDaniels want a fresh start.
On the other end of the timing spectrum, Rodgers could conceivably be available next summer. While Rodgers trade speculation has ultimately provided endless content and no action, the Packers structured his record-setting $50.3MM-per-year contract to include a 2023 option bonus ($58.3MM) that can be paid out at any point from the start of the 2023 league year to the day before next season. It would cost the Packers only $15.8MM in dead money, per OverTheCap, to trade the contract after June 1. The Jets would be making a familiar move, trading for a future Hall of Fame Packers QB in his late 30s, but this scenario will undoubtedly be mentioned. Rodgers, who backtracked on his trade demand in 2021 and passed on leaving Green Bay this year, does not have a no-trade clause.
For the first time since 2016, they are not poised to have a top-12 pick. What other options would be available for Gang Green? The Seahawks are aiming to re-sign ex-Jet Geno Smith, while Daniel Jones hopping New York teams seems unlikely as well. Gardner Minshew and brief Jet Teddy Bridgewater are also slated to hit the market. Tom Brady, as it should be at least noted, is also due for free agency. If the Lions land their QB prospect in the draft, Jared Goff stands to be available. As this year’s quarterback carousel showed, more options could be on the table.
Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this unusual situation in the comments section.
My guess is they draft a QB (especially if Seattle doesn’t)
Seattle?
what are you looking a preseason mock draft?
Goku, the talk in Seattle is they’ll still draft a QB. Maybe not round 1 now, but maybe a mid-round QB before Geno inevitably falls on his face and they need to take one with a high pick in 2024.
The one thing I’m absolutely sure about is that they won’t draft a QB. The team is really good everywhere EXCEPT for their abysmal QB situation. They need someone NFL-ready who they can just plug in.
Gardner Minshew.
Saw him on the back of a milk carton recently.
Lol
Gotta think they give Wilson one more shot.
If they don’t give him another real shot this year, I think they dump him for change and move on.
Absolutely. They’ll give him the off-season to get his act together but if he breaks camp looking the way he did this year then he’s finished. I definitely see the team bringing in a Dalton type, I don’t see White as the solution long-term
I would agree. The difference is that Wilson likely won’t be the undisputed starter. They’ll likely draft somebody or sign a bridge type player, and break camp with Wilson as the starter dependent on his play in the early part of the year. If he does not improve, he’ll be benched.
Unless New York acquires a high end veteran QB, my expectation is that Wilson will compete once again for the job at the start of the year, and be penciled in as such when camp breaks. If he is not better, the rookie or bridge starter will play.
Sam Darnold.
With Christian Hackenberg, Brett Favre and Joe Namath completing the depth chart.
Boy would that be hilarious. He plays amazing the rest of this season and the Jets sign him back.
Baker!
This list is missing the two funniest options who are both possible (not that I think either will actually happen):
1) Geno Smith is a free agent and funny for obvious reasons.
2) Tom Brady. Free agent and it wouldn’t be the first time he chose a team with a lot of receiving and defensive talent in free agency. Imagine the sheer madness of Brady signing up to face his old team twice a year, face the team that tampered with him twice a year, and bring his post celebrity divorce energy to New York.
They need to bring back Mr. ButtFumble.
I mean, Jimmy G is the obvious and the easiest to get
Naw. Mitch Trubisky or Mason Rudolph would be easier
Might have competition from the Giants.
And most expensive. He won’t be a Jet next season
Jimmy G, Goff all look better with a decent running game and some decent receivers…I have been down on Goff for a long time, but he seems to be making fewer dumb throws, and actually ran a couple of times .
Goff is solid this year. Still kinda young. If Detroit really wants to move on from him, there will be takers. IMO, he would be an upgrade for both MetLife teams.
Goff would have a better fit with LaFleur (and possibly Daboll) than most teams. He executes beat when he does not have to spend much time making reads or going through too many progressions. He can learn a playbook, is good in the locker room, and can make most throws. Plus, he is a hard worker who is never a distraction. Those qualities, paired with an offensive coordinator who likes to run the ball, could be a good fit in New York.
However, I do not Detroit turning Goff loose this next year. I expect them to draft their quarterback first before letting Goff go.
Great stuff AK185. Thanks for the intel. Now can definitely see how he could fit in NY. And agree that he probably stays with Detroit for now.
Isn’t he one of those Wonderlick (sp?) test phenoms?
He did well, but not phenom well. I found a 36 for him out of 50. Wentz scored 40.
White is auditioning for QB1 next year. If he’s acceptable, he’ll be cheap enough to let the team continue building around him.
If he plays lousy, they’ll try to get Jimmy G.
I don’t think he’s a real consideration. I think he’s this team’s Nick Mullens.
Thats the thing though, regardless what they truly think of him, he’s getting the chance to succeed.
Then, if he happens to succeed, or wins over the staff and his teammates, then they won’t really have a choice but to bring him back. If their offense continues to look good, and if they continue to win, what choice do they have really??
If he fails miserably, and turns back into a pumpkin, then I think they go after Jimmy G, carry Wilson as the backup, and they have a battle in camp.
I really don’t think the Jets QB situations is as complicated as alot of people and “experts” are making it seem.
He had one good game against the least talented defense in football. He had one good game last year, which he did with all dinking and dunking, and he ended up with more interceptions than touchdowns for the year. There isn’t a single good QB in the NFL with as little athleticism as he has. Can he stick around as a backup? Sure. Is it possible they give him a chance to compete with a veteran? Maybe. But they do have a choice basically no matter what he does, and they’re not going to go into next year with him as their plan at starting QB.
White? The Jets gave him a chance to prove him self and failed. White is nothing more then a backup then a starter. Trust me he ain’t putting numbers up like that again.
Jay Cutler
Maybe they could even resign his buddy Eric Decker..lol
I’m going with a real outside the box guy in Lamar Jackson. I’m not sold on the Ravens giving him huge money and I could see a tag and trade scenario unfolding here. Sounds crazy but crazier things have happened in this league
I’d think Lamar would be heading to Vegas or New England if he doesn’t return to purp
Raiders don’t have money and the Patriots are in no position to go all in on an expensive QB. If Lamar doesn’t stay with the Ravens, the Jets are the most logical destination
Yep. Lamar is not happy. My gut says he wants out. Scary thought, but …
Lamar to Detroit for Goff and a 1 in the 23 and 24 drafts. Goff has playoff cred and this years play is solid. He could legitimately keep Ravens in contention. But more importantly, his deal is short. If he doesn’t thrive … Ravens move on.
Not sure if the Lions would do that. They seem content with Goff and offense isn’t their problem. I imagine the Lions keep their picks and build their defense in the draft
@Ronk; I see. Then prudent for Detroit to stay on course. Appreciate the take. Cheers!
Matt Ryan
The Panthers didn’t trade McCaffrey just to bring in another free agent dead arm to play QB. They are planning to pick the top QB in the draft even if they have to empty the draft bank to do it.
Drew Lock, oh wait, he’ll be probably going back to Denver to pitch in
Wilson probably bounces around as a backup like Rosen did from here on out. If White balls out problem solved but I could see them signing Jimmy G or a journeyman type like Mayfield for insurance.
Joe Namath
Guarantee
Brady will be playing for Josh McDaniels next season in Las Vegas