Who can help the Jets at quarterback? 19 options to join Zach Wilson

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Here we are again. Eight months ago, we tried to figure out who the New York Jets’ next quarterback would be. The idea of Aaron Rodgers seemed far-fetched.

It turns out, it was too good to be true. Five months of extreme optimism, up in smoke when he fell to the MetLife Stadium turf on Monday night after just four snaps in a Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills. Tuesday, an MRI revealed Rodgers has a ruptured left Achilles tendon. Now the Jets, who had legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, start back at square one.

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Zach Wilson is the starting quarterback again. The Jets won 22-16 in overtime on a night when Wilson threw for only 140 yards, powered by an elite defense and running back Breece Hall. If that sounds familiar, that’s because it was pretty much the script in the Jets’ 6-3 start last season. Then they collapsed, finishing 7-10 after Wilson’s performance cratered and he was benched multiple times.

Maybe the Jets can’t win the Super Bowl anymore, but they still have enough talent to make the playoffs. For now, Wilson gets the keys to the car. The Jets are saying all the right things about him, but the reality is they spent all offseason talking about how he needed to use 2023 to sit behind Rodgers, to watch and learn. Instead, he was back out there Monday night.

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Whether it’s Wilson for 17 games or someone else, the Jets will need to bring someone else in. Practice squad quarterback Tim Boyle won’t cut it.

After scouring other teams’ rosters and free agency lists, here are 19 options, including a few retired quarterbacks. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the Jets have started to reach out to veteran free-agent quarterbacks, per league sources.

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In free agency

Carson Wentz: Once upon a time, in 2017, Wentz was the front-runner to win MVP for the Eagles. Then he tore his ACL and was never quite the same, though he’s still been a solid quarterback at times. In 2018-19, he averaged 3,556 yards and 24 touchdowns per season, which are numbers that would rank as some of the best seasons in Jets history. Even in a miserable 2021 season with the Colts, his numbers were solid: 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The flip side: He was awful for the Commanders last year (11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games) and has been run out of town by three teams that invested significant draft capital in him. He’s prone to turnovers and isn’t considered a great leader — but few know Wentz as well as Jets general manager Joe Douglas, who was there when the Eagles made him the No. 2 pick in 2016.

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Matt Ryan: The 38-year-old is currently an analyst for CBS Sports but never technically filed his retirement paperwork, leaving open the possibility he’d be willing to give it one last hurrah. Things went poorly in his lone Colts season (14 touchdowns, 13 interceptions), though he had terrible circumstances around him: bad coaching, bad offensive line and a bad culture. From 2019-21, he averaged 4,338 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, completing 66 percent of his passes.

Joe Flacco: The 38-year-old is beloved by Robert Saleh and led the Jets to a remarkable come-from-behind win against the Browns last year. He also made it clear in a recent ESPN interview that he’s not retired. But Flacco lost his other three starts in 2022, throwing one touchdown, three interceptions and completing just 57 percent of his passes. He’d be fine as a backup, but not a starter.

Nick Foles: Douglas has a soft spot in his heart for Foles after his miraculous run leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory in 2017, when he won MVP. But time and time again, the 34-year-old Foles has shown he’s not meant to be a full-time starter. Since the Super Bowl run, Foles has thrown 21 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 22 games for the Eagles, Jaguars, Bears and Colts.

Colt McCoy: He’s mostly been a backup in his NFL career and is a great locker-room guy, but he doesn’t bring much as a passer. He’s played in 20 games, starting 11, since 2018 and threw eight touchdowns and nine interceptions, with a 67.7 completion percentage.

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In retirement

Tom Brady
Philip Rivers
Ben Roethlisberger

Let’s lump this trio together. Brady isn’t happening, so stop dreaming. Roethlisberger isn’t coming out of retirement either. The 49ers reportedly planned to sign Rivers had they made the Super Bowl last year, so maybe he’s still willing to come out of retirement. But Rivers is also 41 and hasn’t played in a game since 2020. It’s unclear if he’s even in football shape.

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In a trade

Ryan Tannehill: If the Jets hadn’t secured Rodgers, Tannehill was viewed as one of their top backup options. The Titans view themselves as a playoff team, but Tannehill was also brutal in Week 1 (16 of 34, 198 yards, zero touchdowns, three interceptions), is 35 and Tennessee would save significant money ($27 million, per Over the Cap) by trading him. Tannehill has familiarity with passing game coordinator Todd Downing and run game coordinator Keith Carter, both previously with the Titans. If the Titans believe in Malik Willis or Will Levis, maybe this trade makes sense.

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Jameis Winston: He’s beloved by the Saints but Derek Carr is locked in as their starter for the foreseeable future and Winston made it clear that getting benched for Andy Dalton last year upset him. The Saints also still have Taysom Hill, so perhaps they’d want to do right by Winston by giving him an opportunity to start somewhere else. He’s 29 and has dealt with some injuries, but he still has impressive arm talent that could pair with a strong supporting Jets cast. Over the last two years, he’s thrown 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In 2019, he threw for 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns — but also 30 interceptions. He might be the best choice among the Jets’ most realistic targets, and shouldn’t cost a lot.

Marcus Mariota: The 29-year-old had a brutal preseason with the Eagles, who might prefer rookie Tanner McKee. Mariota threw for 2,219 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions, completing 61.3 percent of his passes in 13 games for the Falcons last year.

Cooper Rush: The Cowboys just traded for Trey Lance, and the 29-year-old Rush went 4-1 last year backed by an elite defense and offensive supporting cast. He’s more of a game manager than game changer. His numbers in 2022: 1,051 yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions and 58 percent completions in nine games (five starts).

Sam Darnold: An old friend. The 49ers likely don’t want to part with him as Brock Purdy’s top backup, especially considering their disastrous quarterback injuries last season.

Davis Mills: The Texans drafted C.J. Stroud and have Case Keenum on the roster already. Mills had a bumpy first two seasons, though he was more productive than draft classmate Zach Wilson, and without a great supporting cast in Houston. His numbers in two years: 5,782 yards, 33 touchdowns, 25 interceptions and 63.6 percent completions in 28 games.

Mitchell Trubisky: Kenny Pickett is entrenched as the Steelers starter and that won’t be changing anytime soon. Trubisky, 29, averaged 2,805 yards, 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 65.3 percent completions in 2018-20 with the Bears, adding six rushing touchdowns. He was worse last year in Pittsburgh: 1,252 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions in seven games.

Jacoby Brissett: Washington is committed to Sam Howell, and Brissett played well filling in for a suspended Deshaun Watson with the Browns last year: 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in 11 starts.

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Gardner Minshew: The Colts are all-in on Anthony Richardson and still have Sam Ehlinger as a backup. Minshew hasn’t been a full-time starter since 2020, when he threw for 2,259 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions in nine games for the Jaguars.

Tyler Huntley: Inexplicably, he made the Pro Bowl last year, a flaw in the voting after he threw two touchdowns and three interceptions with the Ravens. But he’s a dual threat, which might be needed if the Jets’ offensive line keeps playing like it did in Week 1.

Drew Lock: Former Jet Geno Smith is the starter in Seattle. Lock was uninspiring as a starter for the Broncos in 2019-20 (3,953 yards, 23 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, 59.1 percent completions in 18 games), but … desperate times.

(Photo of Carson Wentz: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)

The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.

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