Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear four plays into his Jets tenure doubles as one of the most crushing injuries a team has sustained in many years. The Jets have gone from a team with Super Bowl aspirations to one trapped in the kind of situation that caused the all-out Rodgers push.
The team has turned back to Zach Wilson, the former No. 2 overall pick who was twice benched last season. Robert Saleh has encountered some scrutiny for his unwavering support of the 2021 draftee, but after the Jets did not make a strong effort to acquire a veteran backup behind Rodgers, they are sticking with the struggling BYU alum.
Wilson, 24, has made 24 career starts. He sports a career 54.9% completion rate and ranked in the bottom five in Total QBR in each of his first two seasons. Through three games this year, Wilson is ahead of only Justin Fields — the same placement the 2021 season brought. Wilson’s status created issues in the Jets’ locker room last year, leading to Mike White‘s promotion. While buzz about White staying briefly circulated this offseason, the Jets instead parked Wilson — rumored to be on the outs late last season — behind Rodgers. That has thus far proven to be a mistake, one that certainly could threaten the jobs of Saleh and GM Joe Douglas.
The Jets have been connected to a few outside options, attempting to add Colt McCoy and ex-Nathaniel Hackett charge Chad Henne. They also looked into poaching fellow ex-Hackett pupil Brett Rypien off the Rams’ practice squad, but Los Angeles promoted the ex-Broncos backup instead. Two years after the Jets took heat for not backstopping Wilson — a plan former OC Mike LaFleur called a mistake — the team has not attempted to chase a veteran who would unseat him.
Citing the Jets’ $276MM in cash spent — a number that trails only the Ravens and Browns — a Thursday report indicated a top-down Jets directive has led the team to prefer to have a QB rise through the practice squad route. This, and the team’s desire to avoid a Wilson QB controversy, has led to the current depth chart forming. As such, Trevor Siemian represents the top option to take over if Wilson continues to struggle. Although the recently added arm has not been a regular starter since 2017, the ex-Peyton Manning Denver successor has made 30 career starts.
Siemian, 31, is 0-6 over his past six starts. Prior to losing four games leading a depleted Saints roster, Siemian did pilot the Saints past the then-defending champion Buccaneers in his first appearance with the team. Siemian also started a Jets Week 2 game in 2019, a contest that featured the then-Sam Darnold backup going down with a season-ending ankle injury. But the seven-team journeyman is back in town. Although he is not coming off the practice squad this week, an elevation figures to take place soon after.
Current backup Tim Boyle has thrown 106 career passes, residing as a Rodgers and Jared Goff backup during his career. Boyle’s most notable work came when he started three games for an injured Goff in 2021. A rebuilding Lions team lost all three of those games. Boyle, who played at UConn and Eastern Kentucky, served as Rodgers’ top backup at points in Green Bay. The Jordan Love pick changed his standing with the organization.
The Jets cannot trade their first- or second-round picks, with those selections in escrow since they are part of the Rodgers trade package. But will the Jets attempt to use a mid-round choice to trade for a better option? The team still boasts an upper-echelon defense that is again tied to a bottom-tier QB situation. Teams will not be eager to unload a proven backup, but decent draft compensation could change that equation. The Texans’ backups have generated trade interest, and either Case Keenum or Davis Mills could potentially be pried away. Would they move the needle much for the Jets?
Douglas was in place when the Eagles traded up for Wentz in 2016, and the fifth-year Jets GM was present when the former No. 2 overall pick soared to the MVP favorite before an ACL tear ended his 2017 season. Wentz’s stock has tanked since that outlier year, but he is just 30 and would be an upgrade on Wilson. Matt Ryan is 38 is coming off a dreadful Colts season. While Ryan indicated he is happy at CBS, both free agents are believed to have reached out to the Jets. Although Colin Kaepernick wrote Douglas a letter campaigning for a P-squad opportunity, the Jets are not interested in a player out of the league for the past seven seasons.
Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill loom as longshots that have not come up in legitimate trade rumors, but both are on expiring contracts — albeit pricey expiring deals — and playing for teams with sub-.500 records. The Titans, who drafted Will Levis in Round 2, would likely need to eat some of Tannehill’s money. The 12th-year veteran is on a $27MM base salary; the Jets hold barely $8MM in cap space. Cousins carries a no-trade clause. Both 35-year-old passers have void years at the end of their contracts, with the Vikings starter’s void number checking in at a whopping $28.5MM for 2024.
Will the Jets aim higher via Wentz or a trade? Or will Siemian represent Wilson’s top competition for the rest of the season? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section.
Football gods, please start Zach the rest of season!! I can’t remember when an entire team revolted against the GM/HC/QB1 combo. Please let it happen!
I’m guessing that every one of those players critical of Saleh will run off to Twitter and cry like a baby when their own playing time is in jeopardy of being reduced.
I think the Jets will be going through QBs the way most struggling teams go through kickers. They really have no option but to take a patchwork approach.
Joe Namath.
The man who’s better known for hyping Medicare Advantage insurance?
Anyone but Kap
Frankly Kap would boost the ratings and he’s a pretty decent football player. Seven years out of the league is probably too many though.
It would be awfully uncomfortable for Colin Kaepernick to sign with an NFL club whose owner is again supporting Donald Trump for re-election, criminal charges and all.
Thing is, I think that this question may be a tad early. I’m not sure that all of the options to answer are even on the team yet. The Jets don’t have anything much in the way of assets to deal, but we can’t discount the effect of desperation if things get even worse. The trade deadline hasn’t happened yet (neither has the never as much anticipated Week 7 bye-good time to learn a playbook?) and Wentz and a few other unthought of QBs are still out there. If the above guys are still terrible, we could see another QB making starts in New York.
Jets should tank again. Why change now?
Wentz was a disaster in DC last year, the Colts were none too happy with him either. He piloted two playoff bound teams out of contention two years in a row.
Make it a trifecta in NY?
Washington was pretty bad, but Wentz got way more blame for his Colts tenure than he deserved. He actually didn’t play that badly on the whole, albeit with some pretty high profile failures to offset any successes. In any case, the commonality between those two stops was terrible offensive line play. The Jets also have this concern. For that reason, I don’t see Wentz as being a great fit in NY. Also, I believe that they’d have signed him already if they wanted him. However, “not a great fit” might look better than “historically bad” in a few weeks, which is what the Jets are facing with Wilson under center.
That line is going to be a problem for whomever starts in New York. But if Siemian is also very bad, I don’t think that any of us would be surprised to see the Jets’ brass try other options, including, but certainly not limited to, Carson Wentz.
If the line is that bad, the Jets have to give it up for this season and prepare to upgrade the line in the offseason even if it means trading away some good pieces before the trade deadline.
A second-rate QB fleeing for his life will not make a playoff contender out of the Jets no matter how stacked the defense.
Fair points, but again, we’ll have to see how desperate they get. Making a decision is one thing; surviving the pressure is another.
It seems that, right now, they sort of agree. They’re not willing to give up picks-yet-for anyone. But the real concern here is how the locker room perceives standing pat. The players need to have some faith in the organization if they’ll play for it next year. Wilson starting has taken a toll on that front.
Perfect time to audition some out-of-work QBs. If they are better than Wilson then let them play. It if works, then they have a better shot of catching on with a team next year.
I don’t see why the Jets shouldn’t at least hold a workout with guys like Wentz, Kap, Cam, or anybody looking to stay in the league (or get back in). Flacco even knows the system. If they all prove to be worse than Wilson then keep the kid out there.
If the organization is trying to stay competitive they need to keep all options open.
I expect the Jets to take an approach similar to what you’re suggesting. Unfortunately none of the available QBs are likely to play well for more than a game or two because the Jets OL is quite a mess.
Vinny Testaverde
jordan love
mlein27 No that’s still another 15 or so years away from now.
Nobody cares.
Yet here you are
Perhaps the Bears should take advantage of the QB mess in New Jersey and unload Justin Fields for draft capital. He clearly isn’t going to be the savior in Chicago they thought he might be.
What’s going on with the Jets is a manufactured crisis. What’s going on in Chicago is a genuine crisis. In fact, some 20 CBS stations that were supposed to show Broncos-Bears will now show Dolphins-Bills.
Much better game! I’d like to see Dolphins-Bills.
Out of the available QBs out there it doesn’t matter who the Jets get as their season ended on the first drive of the year.
Ignorant of a game-winning punt return TD in overtime?
That win was cool and all, but did you really think we would go 10-7 despite that win once we knew Rodgers’ season was done?
The Jets did win a good game and Allen certainly helped them out playing hero ball. Let me know where the Jets are after week 18.
Colt McCoy, or some other journeyman who is released from roster/practice squad in the next month.
Kirk Cousins
Sign David Blough off the Lions practice squad. He led Arizona to two comeback wins in the preseason, but got cut when they picked up Dobbs from Cleveland for a 5th rounder. I bet, he’d outperform Trevor Siemian, who got beat out by Jake Browning to back up Joe Burrow. How does he lose to Jake Browning?
Great idea – buy low with good upside.