Jets Trade up to Land Young New QB Successor to Aaron Rodgers

Getty Former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis reacting during the NFL Combine.

The oldest quarterback room in the NFL just got an injection of youth.

The New York Jets traded up in the fifth round to select Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis with the No. 171 overall pick. Gang Green gave up both of its sixth-round draft choices, No. 185 and No. 190 overall, to the Philadelphia Eagles to pull off the deal.

Travis immediately becomes the developmental QB3 for the Jets. Earlier this month they traded away the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Zach Wilson, and were looking for a new young piece of clay to bring into the room.

A Perfect Situation for a Young Quarterback

Travis, 23, is an older prospect. He will turn 24 on May 2.

The talented passer has spent six years in the world of college football. He started his career in Louisville and then spent the next five seasons with the Seminoles.

During that run, he completed 62.0% of his passes, threw for 8,715 passing yards, and had a 66 touchdown to 20 interception ratio.

Although he did his best work over the last two years. During that span, he has thrown 44 passing touchdowns to just seven interceptions. The 2023 campaign was cut short for Travis due to a gruesome leg fracture he suffered.

According to an ESPN report from March, Travis revealed that he should be ready by May or June to return to full football activities.

The good news is Travis isn’t coming to the Jets to be a starter or even a primary backup. Travis will plug in as the third quarterback on the depth chart.

Aaron Rodgers is the unquestioned QB1 and Tyrod Taylor inked a contract that makes him QB2. That should take the pressure off Travis to try and rush back from his injury.

This Is a Win-Win-Win Scenario for the Jets at QB

The Jets just pulled off the verbatim definition of a win-win scenario.

In an absolute best-case scenario, Travis learns from Rodgers and Taylor eventually transforming into the long-term franchise quarterback. Unlikely but hey you never know.

In a realistic best-case scenario, Travis becomes the long-term No. 2 quarterback for the green and white. That isn’t anywhere near as sexy but it’s incredibly valuable.

Last season 66 different quarterbacks ended up starting a game in the NFL. Injuries happen and you want to be prepared.

In the absolute worst-case scenario, Travis doesn’t make the transition to the NFL level and flames out as a bust. If that happens, who cares?

The Jets invested a day-three selection (or multiple if you count the trade required). That’s an incredibly low risk for a potentially high reward.

There was some chatter this offseason that maybe the Jets wouldn’t add a single young quarterback to the room. I’m glad they decided against that because through osmosis at a bare minimum, a quarterback should get better by hanging out with Taylor and Rodgers in the same QB room.

Who knows how long Rodgers and Taylor will be in the Jets quarterback room? You might as well take advantage of it by allowing a young passer to be a sponge in that room to absorb as much information as he can.