The New York Jets once again said thanks, but no thanks.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport revealed in a column posted on Sunday, November 12 that veteran quarterback Carson Wentz reached back out to the Jets this week.
Rapoport said “after the ugly showing” by the Jets in the Week 9 Los Angeles Chargers matchup, Wentz wanted to “check back in” to see if the team had changed their mind about potentially adding him.
Back in September, Wentz reached out to the Jets to gauge their interest in a potential partnership, according to Jay Glazer of NFL on Fox.
However, both times the Jets rejected the advances made by Wentz and his camp.
Jets Flirted With Possibility of Adding Wentz
According to Rapoport, Wentz “had been on the Jets’ short list of potential free agent” quarterback options since Aaron Rodgers blew out his Achilles in Week 1.
However, the only reason the Jets would have added Wentz is if “the team lost faith” in starting quarterback Zach Wilson, per Rapoport.
Wentz is 30 years of age and is now in the midst of his No. 8 season in the NFL. During his career, Wentz has thrown for 22,129 passing yards, has a 151 touchdown to 66 interception ratio, and has completed 62.6 percent of his passes.
In 2017 he earned a Pro Bowl nomination and was voted a second-team All-Pro.
When Wentz reached out to the Jets this week they told him, “We’re sticking with Zach Wilson.”
“So, Wentz goes and signs with the Rams. The Jets have not forgotten how Wilson looked against the [Kansas City] Chiefs. They’re hopeful he will regain that form,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network explained on “The Insiders.”
After getting a no from the Jets, Wentz decided to sign with the Los Angeles Rams. He signed a one-year deal for $1.165 million which is the veteran minimum. However, LA added a sweetener by way of a $150,000 signing bonus “with a total cash value of $732,500,” per Rapoport.
This Will Be the Wilson Show Throughout the Rest of the Season
This NFL Network report seems to back the column posted by Dianna Russini of The Athletic on Saturday, November 11.
“Barring a disaster”, Wilson will not be benched, according to Russini.
The New York Jets are sticking with QB Zach Wilson. That’s been their message since the day Aaron Rodgers was hurt and they plan to stick with it. Here’s more:
Wilson showed flashes in the Week 4 Chiefs game that tantalized fans, media members, and people inside the Jets building.
Now that they’ve seen it on tape, the team believes they can get that out of Wilson. When you pair that with the team’s record at 4-4, the Jets are still very much in the thick of the playoff chase in the AFC.
A path exists both inside the AFC East and in the wildcard race as the Jets head into its Week 10 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Wentz for all of his faults is a quarterback with a long-proven track record of success. The same can’t be said for Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. With Wentz now in LA with the Rams, the barren wasteland that is free agency just got even more barren at the quarterback position.
To be blunt, the Jets don’t have many other options at QB and according to Russini they still believe Wilson provides them with the “highest upside” of those choices.
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Jets Rejected Veteran All-Pro QB for 2nd Time This Week: Report