Without a doubt, backup quarterback is an overlooked position on the New York Jets roster. Outside of 3rd-year quarterback Sam Darnold, you have David Fales and 4th-round draft pick James Morgan. I am skeptical of the backup quarterback room. Without Darnold, the Jets are 0-6. Josh McCown went 0-3 in 2018 and Luke Falk went 0-3 in 2019. The Jets need a backup quarterback who can not only push Darnold to play better but who also is capable of winning games in the NFL. Here are three veteran quarterback options the Jets should sign to backup Sam Darnold.
New York Jets: Who Should They Sign To Be Backup Quarterback?
1. Matt Moore
Matt Moore has been a backup in the NFL for the longest time now. What makes him attractive is when he actually plays. He led the Miami Dolphins to the playoffs in 2016 after Ryan Tannehill went down injured. Matt Moore is also a familiar foe of the Jets. He memorably knocked the Jets out of playoff contention in Week 17 of the 2011 season. Not to mention he blew out the Jets in Week 15 of the 2016 season and Week 7 of the 2017 NFL season. Who was his head coach, you ask? It was Adam Gase.
Yes, he is familiar with the Gase offense, playing for him in 2016-17. Can we also mention that he knows how to win games in this league? He is 16-16 in 32 starts as quarterback. Not bad for someone who has been in the league as long as he has. He was also the primary starter when Patrick Mahomes was injured last year. Matt Moore went 1-1, facing the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. Both were playoff teams. Give Matt Moore the reigns when there is an injury, and he’ll lead you to safety.
2. Blake Bortles
Blake Bortles‘ career has been in a downward spiral since he led the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC Championship in the 2017 season. Bortles has been always known as being a below-average to average starter in the NFL. He arguably had his best seasons in 2015 and 2017. We didn’t see much action from him in 2019 with the Los Angeles Rams, after being cut by the Jaguars after 2018. We’ve seen mediocrity from Blake Bortles as a starter. However, I don’t think we’ll see the same if he’s signed. Bortles will have to prove himself reliable in the preseason, if there is one. He’s still young at 28 and Darnold could learn from him. Plus, he could use the time to learn the offense.
3. Cam Newton
The most successful out of the three, Cam Newton was cut by the Carolina Panthers as they embark on a long rebuild ahead. Cam Newton is coming off of a Lisfranc injury, as he only started 2 games. Newton has won an MVP and has been to three Pro Bowls. He was also capable of leading his team to Super Bowl 50, culminating in a 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Before 2019, Newton was also coming off of shoulder surgery. Is it worth the gamble for the Jets? He hasn’t played at a Pro Bowl level since 2015. But the Jets don’t need Newton to be a Pro-Bowler. They need a serviceable backup who can win games at the pro level. That’s something he can do. Another question comes to mind. Will Cam Newton keep it to himself in the locker room? He’s had some issues in the past and had a tendency to be dramatic. Is it worth it for Jets GM Joe Douglas to sign Newton when he’s trying to build a winning culture? As long as he behaves and isn’t injured, the Jets should take a chance to get someone who can be serviceable and someone who can pick your team up.
Time For The Jets
Is it worth it that the Jets keep inexperienced backups? No, it isn’t. Arguably, the Jets could’ve been in the playoffs if they had a serviceable backup. But Trevor Siemian got injured and Luke Falk happened for three games. If I were the Jets, I’d sign a serviceable backup who can win in this league. The three previously mentioned quarterbacks are all that.
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