Getty New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers reacting in the middle of an NFL game.
New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas said there was a “high probability” that his team will add a veteran quarterback this offseason.
However, that may prove to be a “difficult” endeavor.
“One veteran quarterback told [Rich Cimini of] ESPN it will be difficult to convince a top-tier backup to play for the Jets, knowing there’s no chance to supplant a healthy [Aaron] Rodgers.”
That Shouldn’t Hold Anyone Back From Signing in New York
Unlike some other spots in the NFL, the Jets have their unquestioned QB1 in Rodgers. Several situations around the league aren’t as clear who the starter will be. Perhaps that will attract some of the backup quarterbacks that become available.
However, if the only thing potentially holding people back from signing with the Jets is Rodgers’ availability then that shouldn’t be a big issue.
Rodgers only lasted a handful of snaps in 2023 before his Achilles exploded. Now the four-time NFL MVP is 40 years of age and he will turn 41 before next season comes to a close.
In addition, the Jets haven’t had a single quarterback start a full season since 2015. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the last quarterback to start every game in an NFL regular season for the green and white.
Is that odd luck? A snakebitten Jets franchise? Who is to say but it is a statistic worth noting. Plus consider that 66 different quarterbacks started an NFL game this past season. The odds are in a backup quarterback’s favor that at some point they will be relied upon at some point during the 2024 season.
It’s a Matter of Who Not if the Jets Will Have a New Backup Next Season
Douglas’ high probability comment about adding a veteran quarterback was probably a strong indicator that Zach Wilson wouldn’t return.
If there was any doubt about that reality, Jets Owner Woody Johnson put the final nail in the Wilson coffin.
“We need a backup quarterback. We didn’t have one last year,” Johnson bluntly told Brian Costello of the New York Post at NFL Honors.
Woody Johnson at NFL Honors: “We need a backup quarterback. We didn’t have one last year.”
It’s unclear exactly when Wilson will be traded away this offseason, but Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic told me pretty emphatically that it’s going to happen.
The compensation isn’t expected to be groundbreaking but at this point for the Jets, it’s about saving as much cap space as possible and moving on from one of the bigger busts in team history.
Normally those trade discussions start to reach a new level when everyone gathers for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Wilson and his camp have already started to do the “legwork” on a potential trade, according to ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler. Now it’s about Douglas finalizing the list of teams that will be interested and then hammering out what the compensation could look like.
If and when that trade goes through, the Jets would be left with only one quarterback on the roster ahead of free agency. I’ve been told the plan is Rodgers as QB1, veteran backup as QB2, and developmental youngster as QB3.
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Veteran QB Sends ‘Difficult’ Message to Aaron Rodgers, Jets