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The New York Jets were heavily criticized this past offseason for not adding a reliable veteran quarterback to their roster.
With a No. 2 overall pick in Zach Wilson as the projected starter, the Gang Green brass disregarded the value of depth by rolling out relative unknown Mike White and inexperienced former draftee James Morgan.
Inevitably Wilson would get hurt, forcing the Jets to scramble for a proper backup which they found in a desperate trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire Joe Flacco.
Everything ended up working out with White showing pops and Flacco stepping in when called upon to hold the fort until Wilson returned to the lineup.
Now as we approach a critical 2022 offseason, one analyst had a pretty piping hot take on who the Jets should pursue this time around.
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I’m Sorry What?
NFL analyst Steven Ruiz joined The Ringer NFL Show podcast to discuss a variety of topics including Jets’ quarterback Zach Wilson.
The question was brought up on the show, “give me the line of quarterbacks you wouldn’t pursue this offseason if you were the Jets?”
Ruiz and the two co-hosts Kevin Clark and Nora Princiotti started trading names back and forth, “like you’d obviously pursue Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.”
Ruiz was then asked, “if he was the general manager of the Jets what is the worst quarterback you would pursue this offseason” seemingly as a replacement for Wilson?
He thought for a moment and then exclaimed, “Jameis Winston?”
After social media caught wind of this, Ruiz caught a lot of heat for his take and decided to clarify things:
“The thing is, I didn’t actually say they should. It was a thought exercise, and I personally don’t think Wilson will ever be better than Jameis is, I could be wrong!”
The Disrespect Is Real
As if the initial take wasn’t silly enough, Ruiz decided to double down on his efforts proclaiming that he doesn’t believe Wilson “will ever be better” than Jameis.
The former No. 1 overall pick has been an incredibly polarizing player in the pros. Winston’s entire run has been marred by turnovers.
In his seven years in the NFL, Winston has coughed up 91 interceptions including a 30 interception season back in 2019. No that isn’t a typo.
Speaking of turnovers that is something Wilson has cleaned up since returning from his PCL injury.
Wilson has gone 136 consecutive passes without throwing an interception, which is the fourth-longest active streak in the NFL. He has gone four straight games without throwing a pick. Wilson has only two interceptions in his last seven games.
If that isn’t progress and development, I’m not quite sure what is.
Wilson was an easy punching bag through the first five or so games of the season which featured a four-interception implosion versus the New England Patriots. Then the jokes were warranted.
Now with just one game remaining in the regular season, Wilson has completely shifted the narrative and the arrow is clearly pointing in the right direction heading into the offseason.
Although the Jets will have to make a move at the backup quarterback spot.
White is a restricted free agent and Flacco is an unrestricted free agent. Gang Green will have to decide what to do at the position, but rest assured that the future does not include Winston and shouldn’t.
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