The New York Jets are painstakingly DESPERATE to amass a face-of-the franchise quarterback. They have not had a franchise passer since Joe Namath, who recorded the primary 4,000-yard passing season in NFL historical past again in 1967. They have not had a quarterback throw for that many passing yards since. Following the Sacramento Kings clinching a spot within the NBA playoffs on Wednesday evening, it is Gang Green that now has the longest energetic playoff drought in North American skilled sports activities — MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL — at 12 seasons. The Jets have not reached the postseason for the reason that 2010 season when their head coach was Rex Ryan, their quarterback was Mark Sanchez, and their top-10 protection was led by Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Naturally, New York has gone all out to amass an skilled Pro Bowl passer this offseason since workforce proprietor Woody Johnson indicated in January that he was “completely” keen to pay up for a veteran quarterback to pair up with the Jets top-five scoring protection (18.6 factors per sport allowed, fourth-best within the NFL).
“We’ve bought a cap of how a lot you may spend, however yeah,” Johnson stated in January. “That’s [a veteran quarterback] type of the lacking piece. Defense was an unbelievable story, you noticed, from final place to shut to the highest. If you are able to do the identical factor on offense, it appears fairly good.”
That pursuit of a longtime quarterback has manifested itself in bending over backwards for four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. The Jets have employed former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, signed former Green Bay large receiver Allen Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract, and it labored. After Rodgers met with the workforce at his residence in California, he introduced his intention to play for the Jets. However, the commerce cope with the Packers is reportedly being held up as a result of there are considerations on the Jets’ aspect about how for much longer the 39-year-old Rodgers desires to play ball.
Given that concern, why do not the Jets simply pivot to a different NFL MVP quarterback who’s 13 years youthful in 26-year-old Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson? He’s on the non-exclusive franchise tag, that means New York can ship him a proposal sheet at any time now. If Jackson indicators a proposal sheet, Baltimore could have 5 days to match it or obtain two first-round picks as compensation. The Ravens and Jets might additionally work out a commerce, as soon as Jackson is signed. Here’s what Jets common supervisor Joe Douglas stated a few Jackson pursuit on Tuesday.
“First of all, Lamar Jackson is a incredible participant, however the place we stand is, it will be disingenuous and negotiating in dangerous religion if we went down that path,” Douglas stated. “We have our plan, we’ve got our course of and we’re sticking to that … We’re by no means going to function in dangerous religion.”
Douglas is the final manger of an NFL workforce, particularly an NFL workforce that should make the playoffs this yr as his job and head coach Robert Saleh’s job could also be on the road if they do not. His boss, workforce proprietor Woody Johnson, stated as a lot Tuesday.
“I’m not the affected person type,” Johnson stated. “We’re within the win enterprise. We need to win now.”
Yet, Douglas is working as if he is the GM of a fantasy soccer workforce with an overly-sensitive group of school buddies. In most fantasy soccer leagues, different groups could be understanding of a workforce shifting to a special commerce if it is the higher deal.
Should Douglas tire of going backwards and forwards with Packers common supervisor Brian Gutekunst over Rodgers, which is unlikely to occur however simply in case, listed here are a number of the explanation why moving into the Lamar Jackson enterprise is smart for the Jets each now and down the street.
1. Jackson matches the Jets’ workforce timeline in relation to the age of New York’s different prime gamers
The overwhelming majority of the New York Jets’ core group is beneath 30. All of their prime three large receivers in addition to their beginning tight finish are youthful than 29 years outdated in 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson (turns 23 on July 22), free agent signee Allen Lazard (turns 28 on Dec. 11), free agent signee Mecole Hardman (25), and tight finish Tyler Conklin (turns 28 on July 30). Ditto for second-year operating again Breece Hall (21), 2022 First-Team All-Pro defensive deal with Quinnen Williams (turns 26 on Dec. 5), and 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year cornerback Sauce Gardner (turns 23 on Aug. 31).
Adding Rodgers to the Jets could be placing a two-year window on a core that might contend for much longer with a extra steady, when it comes to years left to play in profession, quarterback. Back in 2009, New York chosen USC quarterback Mark Sanchez fifth total within the draft, placing youth on the quarterback place whereas each different key place on the roster was predominantly stuffed by win-now veterans. New York reached consecutive AFC Championship video games within the 2009 and 2010 seasons, however they have not made the playoffs since as their roster withered away round Sanchez, derailing his growth. As outcome, Gang Green now has possession of the longest energetic postseason drought, 12 seasons.
Trading for Rodgers would put the Jets’ roster within the reverse place of these early 2010s Jets with a younger solid and an growing older quarterback, however after Rodgers leaves in a yr or two, New York might discover itself again in the identical place. Acquiring 2019 unanimous MVP Jackson, who’s 26, would give Gang Green a quarterback on an identical profession arc as the remainder of its roster, placing the franchise in a greater place to contend over the lengthy haul.
2. The acquisition price for Rodgers goes to be a number of picks and including one of many richest contracts within the NFL. How about investing in a youthful participant at that value level?
Clearly, Rodgers is not a free agent as he has two years remaining on his three-year, $150 million contract extension he signed final offseason. That contract made Rodgers the primary participant in NFL historical past to have a contract with a median annual worth of $50 million per yr. Yet, the Jets are all-in to not solely tackle his historic contract but additionally give up draft picks to the Packers through commerce to tackle a 39-year-old with an enormous contract.
Signing Lamar Jackson off of his non-exclusive franchise tag requires crafting a contract the Baltimore Ravens will not match — a cope with not less than $231 million assured, which might be a million greater than what Deshaun Watson obtained on his Cleveland Browns contract extension — after which coming to phrases with Baltimore on a commerce bundle. Both processes contain taking over the richest contract within the NFL and surrendering early-round draft picks to take action. The distinction: Jackson is 13 years youthful than Rodgers. There’s loads of methods to construction a contract for Jackson by way of signing bonuses, roster bonuses, and extra to decrease a cap hit on a large contract just like the one Jackson would command.
If the Jets are going to commerce in a stockpile of their prime picks and wage cap house for a quarterback, doing so for the one who will stick round longer is the best way to go.
3. Jackson might make one other leap in New York with the perfect pass-catching core of his profession
One of the highest considerations quarterback-needy groups have decreed when requested why they have not pursued Jackson is his play fashion. He’s a special type of quarterback. Jackson is one in every of solely six gamers in NFL historical past to have over 100 passing touchdowns (101) and over 4,000 speeding yards (4,437). He’s the quickest participant to hit these bench marks by a whopping 31 video games. His profession speeding yards complete of 4,437 is already the fifth-most by a quarterback in NFL historical past, and his complete can also be 1,230 MORE speeding yards by way of 5 seasons than another quarterback all time.
100+ move TD and 4,000+ speeding yards in NFL historical past
Jackson has run as a lot as he has out of necessity, not as a result of it is his solely path to success. Baltimore’s offense is centered across the run due to their refusal to speculate important cash into their offense. The Ravens have spent a mixed $262.7 million on the offensive aspect of the ball since 2019, when Jackson grew to become their full-time beginning quarterback. That’s the least sum of money spent on offense within the ENTIRE NFL in that span. Their large receiver group has accounted for $47.2 million of that complete since 2019, the second-least sum of money spent on large receivers in that span forward of solely the Pittsburgh Steelers’ league-low $34.2 million.
Naturally, Ravens large receivers have ranked lifeless final in receiving yards per sport in three of the final 4 seasons since 2019. Tight finish Mark Andrews, Jackson’s prime goal, has 3,761 receiving yards since 2019, the second-most amongst tight ends behind solely Kansas City Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce’s 5,108 receiving yards in that span. The solely different Raven with over 1,000 receiving yards from 2019-2022 is large receiver Marquise Brown (2,361), the workforce’s first-round decide in 2019. He was traded to the Arizona Cardinals final offseason in trade for a first-round decide that finally become heart Tyler Linderbaum.
Ravens receiving yards per sport by WRs
SEASONRECEIVING YPGNFL RANK
2022
89.2
Last
2021
142.4
nineteenth
2020
108.1
Last
2019
88.7
Last
That lack of funding has additionally led to an absence of continuity on the Ravens’ offensive ability positions, additional capping Jackson’s development as a passer. Since 2018, when Jackson was drafted, their most typical mixture of 5 ability gamers was operating again J.Okay. Dobbins, large receiver Marquise Brown, large receiver Miles Boykin, large receiver Willie Snead and tight finish Mark Andrews. They performed a measly 97 snaps collectively. That ranks one hundred and twentieth amongst all NFL workforce ability participant combos in that span.
However, the Jets come fully-loaded at operating again and receiver with Garrett Wilson in his second season, receiver Allen Lazard locked down on a four-year, $44 million contract, large receiver Mecole Hardman representing maybe the quickest participant Jackson has performed with, and operating again Breece Hall getting into his second season. That group is a bunch of younger, explosive playmakers who will principally be round for a number of seasons. Jackson mixed with that group might make one other big leap that might thrust him proper again into the NFL MVP dialog for years to come back. Those playmakers might additionally result in Jackson dialing again on his speeding makes an attempt, which might additionally lengthen the size of his profession.
4. Aaron Rodgers had arguably the worst season of his profession in 2022 whereas enjoying with a damaged thumb
The Jets buying Rodgers now will not be the identical as buying Rodgers a yr in the past. In the 2022 offseason, Rodgers was coming off consecutive, wholesome NFL MVP campaigns. This offseason, Rodgers is coming off arguably the worst statistical season of his profession along with his personal-low in passer ranking (91.1) whereas enjoying by way of a damaged thumb on his throwing hand. He suffered the harm on the ultimate play of the Packers’ Week 4 loss in opposition to the Giants in London, when he was smacked on the point of uncork a Hail Mary heave.
Aaron Rodgers’ 2022 stats
Pass Yards
3,695
Third-worst
Pass Yards/Attempt
6.8
2nd-worst
Passing Touchdowns
26
T-4th-worst
Interceptions
12
2nd-worst
Passer Rating
91.1
Worst
As Rodgers enters age 40 throughout the 2023 season, the percentages of him taking one other shot within the pocket and struggling a season-altering harm improve exponentially. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson has solely missed 10 profession video games due to harm. Sure, each have come within the final two seasons, however from 2018-2020, Jackson missed zero video games as a consequence of harm throughout his first three seasons. If the Jets take a step again and give it some thought, emptying out their piggy financial institution for a quarterback who has solely taken 4 full seasons of NFL beatings in Jackson is a safer wager than doing so for a passer who has taken 15 full seasons of NFL hits in Rodgers.
As of this second, the Jets and Packers haven’t come to phrases on an Aaron Rodgers commerce. It’s not too late to show again and supply Lamar Jackson a contract with over $230 million in assured cash that the Ravens would not match. Acquiring Jackson would prop the Jets’ window of competition open for not less than 4 or 5 seasons, if no more. Acquiring Rodgers would achieve this for 2 or three seasons, if that. At one level this offseason, Rodgers was had a mindset of being “90 % retired.” Doing the proper factor can typically be troublesome, but it surely’s all the time value it. Trading for Lamar Jackson as a substitute of Aaron Rodgers is the proper factor for the Jets.
