Hold up folks. Before my Twitter gets blown up let me just give the facts before the Sam-chize and the T. Bridge fans come out of the woodwork against this. Yes, I realize that the Jets have been burned in the past with veterans starting two years in a row with the Fitzpatrick ordeal of 2015-16 but this is a different story. Josh McCown should be the Jets starter Week 1 against the Lions.
Flashing Back
Back in 2015, the Jets quarterback situation was Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty, and Geno Smith. Now Smith was the starter after coming off a season with a bumpy ride. With inaccurate throws of 5+ excess yards in both directions (that’s really bad) and with Petty not looking to form since being just added, it was down to Smith to lead the way. He ultimately had a tussle in the locker room with a player who was cut before the season and taken in and started for the Buffalo Bills. This left the Jets with grabbing a veteran or having to deal out Petty. They were smart and chose the latter enter, Fitz.
By 2016 the Jets had Fitz, Petty, and Hackenberg fresh from the draft. Now it looked good until it didn’t…then it really didn’t. Last season the Jets added another veteran QB in Josh McCown which everyone assumed was a bad call. Signing a QB from the Browns who had 3 wins out of 20 games didn’t seem ideal but something came alive in McCown. He racked up the wins and the yardage posting numbers that he has not posted since the early 2000s.
But unfortunately, disaster struck when the Jets lost McCown to injury with a broken hand and allowed Bryce Petty to step in and finish the season. McCown’s season was finished but not before putting up numbers that are only rivaled by Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Matt Ryan. That is some good company.
Evaluating the Current Situation
With McCown re-signed and back on the team he is looking to grab the number one spot again. My guess – he will win it. While the broken hand was something to be scared about happening again, it is more likely that Teddy Bridgewater could hurt his knee again. And the Jets should actually keep their word and not allow Darnold to touch the field until he is solid.
What impact will Josh McCown have on Sam Darnold in New York? @IsaiahCrowell34 has an idea from playing with McCown in Cleveland ⬇️
📺: @gmfb pic.twitter.com/hHGOJ485mo
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) June 9, 2018
While I am not trying to rain on Bridgewater or give him disrespect or bad wishes, the knee injury is very scary. One wrong hit or one wrong move and that’s it. This while McCown is a veteran who can get rid of the ball quickly and protect his hand at the same time. You can’t get rid/protect the ball and your knee at the same time. But that is a bad case/worst case scenario.
Keeping Up With McCown
The real reason why McCown will win the starting job is because he has chemistry from the Wide reciver corps. He knows the moves and where to drop it and how to drop it. He has knowledge that he has to share to Bridgewater and Darnold who know little to nothing compared to him. If they watch him they will improve.
McCown is a great player. Plus unlike what happened with Fitz and his contract, McCown is signed. He has practiced in OTAs and is doing the camp, working out. He is not hashing it out with the brass and waiting until the last minute. No, Josh McCown, or “Uncle Josh” as Jamal Adams calls him, is on the field working it and improving his game from last season with a younger WR corps that is looking even better than last year. That is saying a lot with two WR closing in on a thousand yards and a newer O-Line that can help protect him better and make the long ball throws.
– Alessandro Senatore is a staff writer for Full Press Coverage Jets and covers the New York Jets. Like and follow on Follow @AMS1928 Follow @FPC_Jets
