What do the Jets do at Quarterback?

Written by Christian Lysek

If you sported a dark green jersey on Monday Night Football against the Colts, I give you my condolences. The Jets were still (mathematically speaking) in the playoff running, and yet they put up a performance that would leave their grandmothers unimpressed. The story of the season of course for this dismal team has been continual issues at the quarterback position, and Monday's performance only brought more questions to the team. Here is a look at the Jets quarterback situation and where they could go with it in the next few months.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Fitzmagic won No Shave November and not much else. The career journeyman seems to be doing everything in his power to prove last year was a mirage and nothing more. He now has 14 picks on the season to only 10 touchdowns per ESPN stats and info. His confidence has taken a serious hit and it shows on film. He was benched halfway through MNF and should stay there for the rest of the season since the Jets have no reason to start him.

Bryce Petty

He was once considered the enigma or wildcard on the Jets roster. "But what about Bryce Petty?" many hopeful fans asked. Well, Jets fans got an answer, but it is not the one they wanted. Petty threw three picks against a bad Colts secondary, and that was just in the second half of MNF. The Baylor offense seems inept at producing quarterback who can function in an NFL offense, but Petty's struggles go further than that. I know it's a simple offense, but the quarterback still has to be accurate and Petty is far from it. He makes Brock Osweiler look like Tom Brady when it comes to ball placement. He will (unfortunately) probably start from here on out though just so the Jets know he is not the answer.

Geno Smith

Ah, the poster child for overdrafting. He is on IR now, but with 28 TDs to 36 picks, we know what Geno Smith is, and it isn't a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Christian Hackenberg

If  you are curious as to why Hackenberg has yet to play in a real NFL game, see if you can scrounge up his preseason tape from the Jets preseason game against the Eagles. You may not find it, probably because the Jets burned all of the copies, but if you do you will find a quarterback that needs years of work to resemble what he once was at Penn State. He looks overwhelmed in an NFL uniform, and that won't change for awhile.

What Now?

Here are the options the Jets have for the next season since this one is lost:

• Draft a QB this year, cut Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick: This would be a huge mistake, and not because they are cutting two current quarterbacks. The 2017 draft class QB wise is full of potential but weak overall and full of question marks, which is exactly what the Jets are now at the position. The Jets need to stay away from shiny project quarterbacks like Mitch Trubitsky and DeShone Kizer and take advantage of a draft class deep with running backs, EDGE rushers, and defensive back, which are coincidentally all positions the Jets desperately need help in.

• Give Kirk Cousins a big contract, cut the two quarterbacks listed above: This scenario is unlikely, but then again, did many people see Brock Osweiler leaving a Broncos team that just won the Super Bowl? It is not like the Redskins treat their star QB well, and if they try and franchise or low-ball him again, don't be surprised if he makes some suspicious Kevin Durant-esq visits to other teams.

• Resign Fitzpatrick or Geno for one more crack at it: They better not do this, the Eighth Amendment protects us from cruel and unusual punishment and it applies to Jets fans too.

• Cut the aforementioned QBs, keep starting Petty (or Hackenberg)/pick up cheap QB veteran and then draft QB during 2018 draft: This is the best move for the franchise. If they start Hackenberg or Petty allows them to figure out if they have anybody on their roster who resembles a starting quarterback once and for all. If they sign a free agent for cheap like Matt Barkley or Mike Glennon, they field a competitive quarterback with leadership and some upside. Then the Jets get to take advantage of a 2018 draft class loaded with QBs. Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson, Jake Browning, and even Baker Mayfield will probably take the draft stage that night, and they are far more intriguing than the Trubisky/Watson/Kizer/Kaaya group. This could be a draft that saves the historic franchise once and for all.

Stats are from ESPN Stats and Info