He has certainly given himself plenty of room to maneuver after a successful free agency, he will have his eye on a few position groups as the Jets get on the clock.
Joe will be monitoring the offensive line market, because if last year showed us anything, it is you can never have too many able guys up front. He will be keeping his eye on offensive weapons. They will want to give Rodgers the best group of weapons he had in his career to take some of the pressure off. You know Saleh is always looking for defensive linemen to add to his rotation.
Which brings us to quarterback. The most important position and also the one that has eluded the Jets for decades. How should the Jets handle the QB position in the draft?
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. The Jets are not looking for a starting quarterback in 2024. They really aren’t looking for a backup quarterback either after signing Tyrod Taylor. They are looking for the potential quarterback of the future.
They are looking for someone to come in and hold a clipboard and learn from one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game for not one, but two years. Apart from the second half of preseason games and the worst of scenarios, any quarterback they bring in should never sniff the field. His job will be to be Rodgers’ shadow and learn.
With that being said, the only reason the Jets should be happy if there is one of the top four quarterback available (Williams, Daniels, Maye, McCarthy) when they are on the clock at number 10 is how much they are going to get in a trade down. They cannot take a quarterback in the first round unless it is Caleb Williams, and he is going first overall so it’s a non-issue.
When Should the Jets Look at QB?
The answer to this question is the same when you look at any position in the draft: it depends. Currently the Jets second pick in the draft comes in top half of the third round at number 72. After the top four QBs mentioned above, the next tier of signal callers includes Michael Penix and Bo Nix.
I imagine both guys will be gone by the middle of the second round. So, if either is available when the Jets are on the clock in the third round, they shouldn’t hesitate to grab one. According to “The Beast” from the Athletic’s Dane Brugler Penix “is inconsistent in several key areas (mechanics, anticipation, pressure reaction), but his arm confidence and willingness to attack every square inch of the field can be a productive formula in the right situation. His mental toughness will be a strong selling point in NFL draft rooms”.
Meanwhile, Brugler says Bo Nix “gets in trouble when he plays loose with his technique and his eyes speed up on him, but he understands where to go with the football, and his scrambling can give defenses fits. Though it feels unlikely that he will ever rank among the 15 best quarterbacks in the NFL, he has the tools to become a middle-of-the-road starter”.
The Spencer Rattler Question
As I said, I doubt the Jets will have a chance to draft Nix or Pennix at 72, but they might have a shot at Spencer Rattler. Rattler, who played at South Carolina by way of Oklahoma, might be available for the Jets in the third round. But the question is, should they take him?
That is going to depend solely on Joe Douglas’ evaluation of the fifth-year senior. If he believes that Rattler is a few seasons of learning from reaching his very high ceiling, then I say take him. If Douglas has any reservations, then its best to take someone who can help the team this season.
After That?
If the Jets don’t feel the need to take a quarterback at 72 in the third round, their next opportunities are picks 111 and 134 in the fourth round. At that point you might have a chance at Tulane’s Michael Pratt, but most seem to think he is more of a high-end backup in the league.
Guys like Devin Leary out of Kentucky, Joe Milton out of Tennessee or Jordan Travis out of Florida State are big time projects and I just don’t believe the Jets have the ability or the patience to bring them from where they are now to where they would need to be to take over a franchise.
The only other name worth considering is Sam Hartman out of Notre Dame by way of Wake Forest. Hartman doesn’t have the strongest arm but he is an accurate passer and a smart, instinctive player. He could be the Jets version of Brock Purdy with their Mr. Irrelevant pick at the end of the Draft.
Final Thought
If I were the Jets GM (and thank God I’m not), someone would need to talk me out of Spencer Rattler at pick number 72. If he is available, that would be my pick.
Brugler says of Rattler “has a methodical play style and needs to be more urgent in his movements/reads, but he has the arm talent, self-confidence and work habits that give him a fighting chance to work his way up an NFL depth chart. He offers upside at the position, but the interview process will be crucial to his draft grades”.
Sounds like a guy with a very high ceiling who could learn a lot from two years under a future Hall of Famer.
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