Cousins becomes the best QB option for Jets
This should all feel quite familiar to New York Jets fans by now.
For what seems like the 40th consecutive season, their team is searching for a franchise quarterback.
But this time there’s optimism that they can land one.
The Jets have the sixth pick in the draft and a ton of money to spend in free agency — where a big name is poised to hit the market. So what will general manager Mike Maccagnan do to fill this critical void in the roster? We rank five possibilities in order of likelihood.
5. AJ McCarron: He is set to hit the open market at 27 after winning his grievance against the Bengals. He is an intriguing prospect but not a proven one. The former Alabama star has played 11 games in his four-year career and made three starts — all in 2015. If the Jets can’t land the biggest free agent quarterback, McCarron might be a fallback. But it’s hard to imagine the Jets taking a risk on such an unproven commodity. 4. Sam Darnold: If the Jets don’t land their quarterback in free agency, they’ll likely go after one in the draft. They hold the sixth pick, which almost certainly won’t be high enough to snag Darnold. The Browns, Giants and Broncos all pick ahead of the Jets, and all of them need quarterbacks. But the Jets have three picks in the top 50, and if they are certain that Darnold is their guy, they could put together an attractive package to trade up and get him. But after Darnold’s inconsistent final season at Southern California, that would be a huge risk.
3. Baker Mayfield: He’s been ranked behind Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Wyoming’s Josh Allen. So there’s a good chance the Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma will be available when the Jets are on the clock. If the Jets don’t address their quarterback problem during free agency, this could be the way to go. Mayfield has all the tools: a strong, accurate arm, confidence and leadership skills. But there are questions about his size and character. Still, he could be the
long-term answer.
2. Josh McCown: If the Jets draft Mayfield or Darnold, there’s an excellent chance that they’ll bring back McCown — and not just in a mentorship role. It would make sense for the Jets to open up a competition between McCown and their young quarterback in training camp, just like they did last year with McCown, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. If the youngster wins the job, he’ll start with McCown in a mentorship role. And if McCown wins the job — he will be 39 and coming off the best season of his career — the young quarterback will get to learn from one of the wisest vets in the league.
1. Kirk Cousins: It seems increasingly likely the Jets will be a major player in the chase for Cousins. An ESPN report said they are “willing to do whatever it takes” to land Cousins. And it’ll take the most expensive contract in league history, likely in the range of $30 million a year over four or five seasons. The Jets have the cap space — projected between $90 and $100 million — to pay whatever he wants. But many fans don’t think it’s worth it to pay Cousins that kind of money because he isn’t one of the top five quarterbacks in the league. But the Jets are living proof you can’t win without a quarterback.