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At first, I was wondering what the hell they were doing, signing a QB with a 14-30 record in the NFL, after Aaron Glenn said he was looking for a “winner.”
But then, a few hours later, I had an epiphany about the Jets’ decision to sign free-agent QB Justin Fields – once Aaron Rodgers was gone, it really didn’t make much difference who they signed.
Recently, we released our free agent preview issue of Jets Confidential Magazine and did short bios on the top eight players available at each position, followed by the “best of the rest” with no bios, just a list. It was initially done before Jay Glazer announced the Jets were moving on from Rodgers:
Top seven players with bios (not including Rodgers) – Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Fields, Jimmy Garoppolo and Mac Jones. Best of the rest: Zach Wilson, Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota, Drew Lock, Carson Wentz, Josh Dobbs, Jarrett Stidham and Cooper Rush.
After looking back at those lists, a few hours after the Jets decided to sign Fields, that is when it hit me – it is okay to sign him, because this wasn’t a bumper crop of free agent QBs, none are near Rodgers, so just throw a dart at one, and sign him.
I am not trying to be flippant or disrespectful. Just dealing with the reality that none of these guys are likely to lead a team to the promised land. It is what it is.
So go ahead and sign Fields, make a lot of fans happy (a lot of fans seem to love this player), and let him compete with Tyrod Taylor for the starting job.
The NFL has a very serious problem – the demand for quality quarterbacks is larger than the supply.
And the underwhelming 2025 free agent and draft classes at the position aren’t likely to help. In terms of the draft, why would QB needy Tennessee be looking to trade out of the top spot, if there was a slam dunk QB prospect in this draft?
So go ahead, sign Fields, who has 44 fumbles in 44 games.
As Hillary Clinton once famously said, “What difference does it make?”
Serious, you had to sign somebody, and nobody on that list is Johnny Unitas.
Glenn faced him several times when he was defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, and liked what he saw. So Glenn clearly considers him a “winner” despite his NFL career record of 14-30
While Glenn is a Bill Parcells disciple, perhaps he doesn’t agree with every philosophy of his mentor, like his famous saying, “You are what your record says it.”
You don’t have to agree with every single philosophy of your Yoda.
But the bottom line is, whether it’s Tyrod Taylor or Justin Fields or Jordan Travis (unless he asks to be traded after his agent accused the team of botching his rehab), the Jets need to win this year.
This narrative being pushed, after moving on from Rodgers, is that they are clearly hitting the reset button.
When you get rid of a quarterback who had 28 TDs last year, the same as league MVP Josh Allen, and was under contract, why should you get a pass this year?
That is like offing your parents, and then crying you are an orphan.
Glenn and Mougey decided to move on from Rodgers, which is their right, but that doesn’t mean the bar should be lowered this year.
Remember, when Glenn was asked about why he moved on from Rodgers, he said, “Every decision that me and Moug make is to win, and to win now.”
So he was essentially saying the decision to move on from Rodgers was to win now.
So the bar should not be lowered, though I’m sure it will be by an ever-softening media.
But it shouldn’t be.
They decided to move on from Rodgers, who is in talks with Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and the Giants.
So as Herman Edwards liked to say, “No excuses, not explanations.”
The Jets found their QB, who Glenn clearly feels fits his criteria as a “winner” so they need to go out and win.
And perhaps they will. None of us know how this will turn out.
This could turn out great. We have no idea right now.
Let’s see.
March 11, 2025
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