Getty Former New York Jets QB Mike White getting ready to snap the ball during an NFL game.
The New York Jets are going to be adding some bodies to the quarterback room this offseason.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero shared on Twitter that Purdue passer Aidan O’Connell has a private visit and workout scheduled with the green and white.
The Jets are one of several teams that have lined up similar workouts with the talented collegiate quarterback.
Aidan O’Connell Is an Intriguing QB Prospect
The 24-year-old will turn 25 before the start of the 2023 season.
O’Connell just completed his sixth season at Purdue. In 2017 he joined the football team as a walk-on but didn’t play nor did he play during the 2018 campaign.
Over the last four years, O’Connell has appeared in 33 games and has put up some solid production.
O’Connell has thrown for 9,219 passing yards with a 65 touchdown to 30 interception ratio and has completed 66.7 percent of his passes.
The Purdue product is projected to go undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft, according to NFL Mock Draft Database.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes he has “backup potential and his upside is slightly above average.”
Pelissero described him as a “Shrine Bowl standout” on social media and for good reason.
NFL Insider Tony Pauline of the Pro Football Network also was impressed with what he saw from O’Connell during the Shrine Bowl on February 2.
“Aidan O’Connell was hot out of the gate and was on the money throwing to targets he’s never played with in the past. He led receivers with passes, hitting them in stride or perfectly placing the ball. Even when his throws were a bit off, O’Connell gave his receivers a chance to come away with the reception.”
Jets Need a New Developmental Project at QB
There are plenty of NFL teams that take a dart throw at the quarterback position every single offseason. The QB spot is the most important position in all of football and you can never have enough good ones.
The Jets’ plan is to have Aaron Rodgers as the starter, Zach Wilson as the backup, and likely a young talented piece of clay developing as the third string.
Rodgers isn’t a member of Gang Green because the team has failed to come to a trade agreement with the Green Bay Packers. However the expectation is that will eventually come to fruition.
The team is committed to the former No. 2 overall pick in the draft and wants him to be the primary backup moving forward.
Although his rookie clock is ticking and the Jets need a long-term answer at the position. It’s hard to envision O’Connell being that guy based on his history at Purdue and limited athletic profile. However, there is a chance for him to reach a new ceiling at the NFL level.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein said O’Connell was forced to put the entire Purdue offense on his back but believes he “could benefit from an offense that allows him to manage games.”
If the Jets had that last season they would have ended the NFL’s longest active playoff drought in the league.
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