New York Jets Draft Preview: Quarterback
Will the New York Jets take a Quarterback during the 2016 NFL Draft? We break down their current situation at the position heading into the draft and the likelihood of one being selected.
The NFL Draft is tomorrow and the New York Jets still haven’t answered the big question: who will be at the helm of the offense in 2016? Will they bring Ryan Fitzpatrick back? Will they draft Paxton Lynch with the 20th pick of the first round? Will Geno Smith be trusted to start? There are valid points to be made for each of those options, so lets break them down.
Current Depth Chart:
- Geno Smith
- Bryce Petty
Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan has been holding off on bringing Fitzpatrick back for a second stint in the Big Apple. The Jets budget isn’t as substantial as it was in the 2015 offseason, so Maccagnan has been trying to avoid the trap of overpaying for a quarterback.
The other argument for avoiding Fitzpatrick is his career track record. Despite his success last season, he hasn’t exactly been the type of QB to keep that success going. Combine that line of thinking with the Jets schedule being on All-Madden difficulty and it’s hard to believe in Fitzmagic, especially since the team failed the reach the playoffs last season when he performed well.
More from New York Jets
- Caesars New York Promo Code: Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED on ANY Bet!
- New York Jets: It’s Time to Move on from Sam Darnold
- How Adam Gase and Joe Judge Can Succeed in 2020
- New York Jets Still have Elite Talent in Running Back Le’Veon Bell
- New York Jets: C.J. Mosley Opts Out of 2020 NFL Season
Lynch, although he may not be the right option, is certainly an alluring one. If the Jets do take him with their first round pick, it will be interesting to see if he is named the starter right away. Most scouts and analysts claim the 6-foot-7 quarterback is a “project” who will have to learn from the bench for a couple years.
On the other hand, the Jets run a simple enough ground-and-pound NFL offense with most passing plays consisting of two or three reads. As I mentioned earlier, the Jets don’t have much of a chance with making the playoffs with their schedule, so why not throw Lynch into the fire right away? What is there to lose?
If the Jets choose to not draft Lynch, there aren’t many late second round QB options, and as Bill Barnwell notes, there isn’t much upside to a late second rounder compared to an early one. This makes me believe the Jets will indeed use their first round pick on Lynch and prepare him as much as possible to be their future leader on offense.
Next: New York Jets Seven-Round Mock Draft
It makes a lot of sense for the Jets to make this pick, as Lynch could really flourish in their system. With all the competition in the AFC, it may be better to just prepare for a successful 2017 campaign and beyond rather than go all in on 2016.