The New York Jets entered 2023 expecting Aaron Rodgers to lead them to greatness. Instead, the future Hall-of-Famer suffered a torn Achilles on the first offensive series of Week 1. ... and now they've turned to young signal-caller Zach Wilson ... and that has worked to poorly that there are rumors of locker-room dissent and announcements from Joe Namath ripping the kid.
And just as was the case leading up to Week 2, when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Jets 30-10, there is a movement afoot in New York to acquire a quarterback.
Then, one of the prominent ideas involved Cooper Rush as a New York backup. Now, at 1-2, with the Jets season hanging in the balance, the new prominent idea involves Cooper Rush as a New York starter.
The "Just Jets Pod'' has a solution: The Jets should offer Dallas a 2024 third-round draft pick plus a 2024 seventh-rounder. And you know what? In a vacuum ... That's not unfair.
But it's still unwise, and here's why: The Cowboys, after spending the last few years scrambling for a trustworthy No. 2, recognize that the backup QB is essentially the offense's "12 starter.'' And a team trying to make it to the Super Bowl, as 2-1 Dallas aspires to do (yes, still!), would not trade that opportunity for a third-round pick. (By the way: the seventh-round pick is a meaningless throw-in.)
If the Cowboys were non-contenders? They could consider selling off pieces. Or ... if they had complete faith that newcomer Trey Lance could replicate what Rush has proven he can do in a pinch? That might make it worthwhile to answer the phone.
But as the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline approaches, the Cowboys' in-house position is that Rush is a proven keeper and that Lance is an unproven dart throw. ... and Super Bowl contenders are built on the former, not on the latter.
The Jets right now essentially have no "winning QB.'' The Cowboys right now essentially have two "winning QBs.'' ... and there's no reason for Dallas to want to help anyone beyond Dallas.
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