News’ Manish Mehta answers your Gang Green Twitter questions
The latest edition of the Jets mailbag explores the Jets quarterback situation, Adam Gase’s fate when Woody Johnson returns from his UK Ambassadorship, players most likely to be traded, the nine-man draft class and media access during the pandemic and much more.
Who has the worst QB situation in the AFC East: Jets or Patriots?
@Anase815
I’m taking Sam Darnold over Jarrett Stidham every day of the week… and twice on Sundays.
Dig up Wonder Woman to lasso the truth out of Bill Belichick, too. The greatest head coach of this generation would come clean and admit that he’d love to have Darnold to continue the Evil Empire’s reign. Instead, he’ll use this season to evaluate whether Stidham is good enough to be the answer in the wake of Tom Brady’s departure.
Backups Joe Flacco and Brian Hoyer are comparable with one caveat: It’s unclear when Flacco will be fully recovered from offseason neck surgery. The veteran made it clear last week that he won’t be ready by Week 1. That’s a reality that shouldn’t be readily dismissed. Flacco is quality insurance only if he can actually play.
Make no mistake: It’s a big deal if Flacco isn’t ready to go early in the season. It’s misguided to suggest that it’s not.
Nobody wants Darnold to get hurt, but injuries — and sometimes illnesses — happen. There’s no rhyme or reason when they occur. Players get hurt in the first quarter of Week 1 and in the fourth quarter of Week 17. It can happen at any time.
If it does, the Jets need an understudy capable of winning. Ask yourself this: If Darnold left with an injury in the first half of Week 1, how confident would you be that David Fales could pick up the pieces and help the Jets beat the Bills?
If you’re answer is anything but “reasonably,” there’s a significant problem.
Presuming Woody comes back this year and we finish 6-10… will he just fire Gase as he didn’t hire him?
@Rik_UKJETS
I think it would be difficult for Woody Johnson to retain Gase if the Jets punctuate their 10th consecutive season without a playoff appearance with a six-win campaign. The Jets owner has obviously been kept abreast of the major themes/concerns, but don’t underestimate the power of living in the New York area and feeling your fan base’s angst.
Woody doesn’t truly know the level of angst felt by Gang Green diehards at the moment. When he returns from his UK Ambassadorship at the end of the year, the vitriol directed at the head coach will be palpable if the Jets only win six games. I don’t think it will fall on deaf ears.
Player most likely to get traded this season?
@IpickGreen2win
Le’Veon Bell and Marcus Maye are the two most likely candidates to be dealt in-season. The Jets aren’t going to be sellers at the trade deadline if they’re atop the AFC East or have a solid shot at a postseason berth, of course. If Bell and Maye are excelling, they’re likely staying put. However, if the Jets are lagging, they’d love to unload Bell’s contract.
Maye, who’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, could be on his way out if rookie Ashtyn Davis has made a smooth transition to the next level. But there are a number of factors at play.
Record prediction?
@JTWasSh0rt
Like the rest of the AFC East, the Jets have a daunting schedule on paper. Gang Green won three of four games against the feeble NFC East year. It’s a different story in 2021 when they square off against the NFC West and AFC West. The schedule isn’t particularly favorable during any extended stretch.
Although the tides change quickly in the NFL, I think plenty has to break right for the Jets to snap their nine-year playoff drought. My prediction: 7-9.
Do you think everyone the Jets drafted will make the roster and when is the last time that happened?
@Bigdogz1318
This unusual offseason makes it more likely that all nine Jets draft picks will make the roster. Joe Douglas isn’t going to give up on anyone in his first draft class without getting a thorough look at him. Remember, the Jets had a full offseason to gauge 2019 third-rounder Jachai Polite’s work habits and capacity to adapt before cutting him. (It was still an atypical move for a premiumround pick).
Jets coaches have only had virtual meetings with rookies. It’s hard to imagine that team brass would be turned off by a firstyear player at this point. I don’t think a few weeks of training camp practices and preseason will be enough to fully evaluate either.
Remember: Douglas has contractual control of the 53-man roster. General managers typically err on the side of caution with their rookie draft picks. You don’t have to go back very far to find the last time the Jets kept all of their draft picks to start the season. It was 2018’s six-man class that included Sam Darnold, Nathan Shepherd, Chris Herndon, Parry Nickerson, Folorunso Fatukasi and Trenton Cannon.