The New York Jets could be aggressive in the quarterback market this NFL offseason.
Shocking? No, but team owner Woody Johnson more or less confirmed such Thursday.
“Absolutely,” Johnson told reporters, per the New York Post, when asked if he’d be willing to spend money on a veteran QB if general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh decide it’s the Jets’ best course of action before the 2023 season.
The Jets made significant strides in 2022, particularly on defense, before ultimately falling short of the playoffs with a 7-10 record thanks to a six-game losing streak to end the season. New York already has begun making changes, parting ways with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and offensive line coach John Benton, but landing a solid quarterback this offseason could be the real difference-maker.
“We’ve got a cap, so there’s an amount you can spend,” Johnson told reporters. “But, yeah, yeah. That’s kind of the missing piece.”
The potential pursuit of a veteran quarterback, either via free agency or trade, casts even more uncertainty over Zach Wilson’s future. Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, simply hasn’t performed up to expectations. The Jets benched him twice this season, and it’s hard to imagine them going into the 2023 campaign with Wilson as the starter.
“Zach had a tough year. There’s no denying that,” Johnson said, according to the Post. “I still have confidence that I’ve seen some kernels of real talent there. … But the confidence level, whatever it was, went down.”
So, where do the Jets turn from here? Maybe they make a splash by targeting Tom Brady or Lamar Jackson. Even someone like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo would move the needle in wake of a season that saw New York trot out Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco and Chris Streveler. They’ll certainly have competition, though, as several teams seemingly are a quarterback away from contending.
All told, the Jets haven’t made the playoffs since the 2010 season. And they haven’t won the Super Bowl since the 1968 season. Progress was made in 2022, with the Jets improving upon their 4-13 mark from 2021, but there will be no excuses in 2023.
