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This doesn’t pass the smell test.
The Jets re-sign Joe Flacco to be a backup QB, and perhaps a mentor, but he’s made it clear in the past he’s really not into that.
They tendered Mike White at a fifth-round level in a league with many teams needing quarterbacks.
They tender White right before the league year started, not earlier.
They get help from some in the media, who act like this was fait accompli, and that White was going to get a fifth-round tender like he’s not worth more than that.
So in a QB-hungry league, with so many teams not having answers, White is only worth a fifth-round tender after what he did against Cincinnati, a team that went to the Super Bowl, with a defense that shutdown Patrick Mahomes in the second half of the AFC Championship Game, and made things real tough on Matt Stafford in the Super Bowl? That was the same defense White faced.
Then White got hurt in the first quarter against the Colts while leading them on a long TD drive. He came back and struggled against the NFL’s #1 defense, Buffalo, and that was the last we saw of him.
I think Joe Douglas and his consigliere Phil Savage are really smart football guys.
I’m telling you, this whole approach has to be designed to throw people off the scent.
Because right now, there is no evidence that Zach Wilson is better than White, and Wilson had no games that he looked like what White did in that Cincinnati contest. I’m not saying Wilson won’t be better in time, but he’s not better now.
Okay, so by bringing in Flacco to be the backup, and tendering White at a fifth-round level, and get help from the media acting like White was flash in the pan, and that the low-ball tender was right on target, perhaps you can get other teams to think – “There is nothing there – let’s take a pass – the Bengals game was an aberration.”
The national media went along with it also – fifth-round tender, nothing to see here. The story was barely reported nationally.
I know this sounds like a grassy knoll theory, but do me, there is more to this story than meets the eye.
Look they clearly felt they can’t let White compete for the job now. They have to marginalize him. They picked a QB second overall last year. He’s going to get this season, and perhaps 2023 to show he’s the answer.
Wilson’s confidence might be a little fragile at his point. If they tender White at a first or second-round level, and make him the primary backup, Wilson could think – “I’m in a little trouble here – they really like this White guy.” Flacco’s not a threat. He’s a statue in the pocket at this stage of his career.
Look, I saw White do what he did in the Bengals game during practice for two years. Granted, practice isn’t games, but he showed in practice that he’s cool in the pocket, goes through his progressions smoothly, and throws with anticipation. Other observers chose to ignore this or weren’t paying attention.
I’m sorry, I have too much respect for Douglas and Savage as personnel guys to think they don’t see that White has starting potential.
The first pass of White’s career was a perfect throw into tight coverage to Corey Davis for a TD. First throw of his career! I’m not putting him in Canton, but you have to clueless to see him in action last season, aside from the game against the NFL’s #1 defense, and not see the guy’s talent.
I will leave you with some of Troy Aikman’s comments during the first quarter of the Jets’ loss to Indianapolis:
*This is a confident quarterback.”
*”He has a good feel for what he’s doing back there.”
*”The sacks are down and primarily that’s because he’s not holding on to it.”
*He’s going to make good decisions and he throws the ball pretty accurately.”
I’m telling you, I think they are trying to throw other teams off the scent and give Wilson some time to show what he can do without another young QB with potential breathing down his neck.
March 17, 2022
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