The New York Jets, who are still struggling to find their starting quarterback for the upcoming NFL season, are in for a nightmare. The team, who recently cut Tim Tebow, still have four options to choose from. The Jets have said that all four quarterbacks will compete for the starting postition, as time will tell who gets the special opportunity. There is no clear-cut front runner for the job, but there are favorites.
One of the four options is David Garrard, whom the Jets signed during the offseason. Garrard, who has not played in an NFL game since 2010, is working back from a knee injury that kept him from winning the starting job for the Miami Dolphins last summer. The veteran quarterback was very solid in his final few years, even making the Pro-Bowl as an alternate. The Jets needed a cheap option at quarterback, as Mark Sanchez is guaranteed at least 8.25 million dollars, and they found that alternate in Garrard. If Garrard is healthy, he could easily win the starting job just a few weeks into the Training Camp. The Jets are pleased with what they see in Garrard, as they are setting their hopes high for the quarterback. The only difficulty Garrard will face is health related issues, as he has faced many injuries in the past few years.
The second option is Mark Sanchez, the quarterback who all fans dislike. Sanchez has ruined the Jets playoff chances over the last two years, throwing interception after interception. And who can’t forget the infamous butt fumble in the Thanksgiving Day game against the Patriots? Sanchez has been an embarrassment for the Jets organization, who traded up to the sixth overall pick to draft him. If the Jets had not moved up, they would have been able to draft Josh Freeman, who has been a better quarterback than Sanchez in their four years in the pros. However, the Jets organization still backs up Sanchez, giving him yet another chance to prove himself. Head coach Rex Ryan has also backed Sanchez, not once did he start Tebow in a single game last year.
Rookie Geno Smith is another option for the Jets, the signal caller from West Virginia University. Smith, who at one point was the projected first overall pick, dropped to the Jets in the second round, as the team selected him with the 39th overall pick. Smith, who began the season as a Heisman contender, started the season with 24 touchdowns and no interceptions. But after the hot start, Geno hit a rough patch, not amassing much yards and throwing more interceptions then usual. The Jets were very happy with Smith falling to them in the second round and do believe he could be their future franchise quarterback. But he still needs to fix some faults including his accuracy.
Greg McElroy, who last season sat behind Sanchez and Tebow is the least likely option but than again you never know it’s the Jets. Over the course of the season, McElroy started getting more chances, even starting one game for the struggling Sanchez. McElroy does not have a strong arm like the other quarterbacks, not being able to pass and convert some passing routes. The Jets say McElroy will compete for the job, but it seems almost unlikely for him to even come close to winning.
Overall, the Jets are not looking strong for the upcoming season. The team lost Shonn Greene and have their best wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, recovering from his ACL tear. They also lost star cornerback Darrelle Revis and safety LaRon Landry, as their defense is becoming weaker and weaker every year. However, they are trying hard to shape the future of the team, trading for Chris Ivory and drafting college phenoms like Dee Milliner and Geno. The most likely quarterback the Jets will start the season with is David Garrard, as the quarterback put up solid numbers before his injuries. Do not rule out Geno Smith because if he fixes his accuracy in the preseason, the Jets might decide to play him righty away.