Getty Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson warming up ahead of a college football game.
The New York Jets benched Zach Wilson last week which opens up serious questions about who is the future at the quarterback position.
Everyone is enjoying the Mike White show right now but he is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 along with fellow backup Joe Flacco.
With so many questions and so few answers, it might be time for the Jets to consider other options this offseason.
Anthony Richardson Could Provide Everything Jets Are Looking for at QB
On the Badlands podcast, Connor Rogers who serves as a Jets and an NFL draft analyst presented a potential idea for the team to consider this offseason.
With the uncertain future at quarterback perhaps the Jets could take a day two (second or third round) swing at an intriguing prospect in the 2023 NFL draft.
The name he threw out there is Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson.
He is listed on the Gators’ website as 6-foot-4 and weighing 232 pounds.
NFL draft scout Zack Patraw said he’s going to be a “star on Sundays.”
A quarterback that has all the tools and you’ve seen flashes of brilliance throughout this college football season.
The thing about Anthony Richardson is that he isn’t your typical “Project QB”, he is THE ultimate project QB
The rarest of rare physical tools
In theory, you could select him and let him marinate on the bench like few quarterbacks get the opportunity to do in today’s NFL. Hopefully, with some seasoning, he could be ready in a few years to be released from his cryogenically frozen chamber to unleash havoc in the NFL.
That would allow the Jets to have a developmental prospect for the future paired with Wilson competing with a veteran option in the present.
Anthony Richardson NFL Draft Profile
The Draft Network’s profile on Richardson says he has a “very strong arm.” In the game against Florida State this year he tossed a football that traveled over 50 yards just in the air and it perfectly found its intended target.
Anthony Richardson laid out a beauty 🏹🎯
(via @GatorsFB)
One of his highlights plays from earlier in the season versus No. 7 Utah at the time had folks drooling. On a two-point attempt, Richardson pump-faked and spun, juking out two defenders in the process before finding his intended target wide open in the back of the end zone.
He closer look at this filthy pump fake and spin move from Anthony Richardson 🪄🦄
Despite all the sexy plays this year he isn’t a perfect prospect by any means.
Keith Sanchez wrote up his draft report and questioned his ability to change up his fastball:
“He needs to understand when to change the speed and trajectory of the football. On the deep ball, Richardson will drive the ball with a straight-line trajectory but sometimes he needs to give it more of an arc so the ball can drop in over the defensive back.”
The size, physical tools, and potential are so intriguing that a day-two dart throw could be a nice project for the Jets to kick their tires on.
Wilson hasn’t proved without a shadow of a doubt that he is capable of being QB1 for the foreseeable future. So the Jets have no other choice but to consider what else is out there at a bare minimum.
In 12 games this season Richardson threw for over 2,549 passing yards and had a 17-to-9 touchdown to interception ratio.
He also contributed an additional 654 yards rushing along with nine touchdowns on the ground.