Trade Deadline, QB Controversy? Draft Talk...
The Jets made one small move on deadline day.
🗽 Good morning Jets fans and welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Jets Way. Today we’re cleaning up the week before we dive headfirst into our game preview of the Colts tomorrow. We’re going to touch on the trade deadline, try and answer the question “Is there really a QB controversy brewing in NY?” and I’m going to kick off my weekly series focusing on draft prospects who aren’t household names…yet. Ready? Let’s get to it.
Daniel Brown traded to Kansas for Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
🏈 The Jets flipped a back up tight-end who barely sees the field for a guard who hasn't played in 2 years but who used to be a very good pass blocker. As far as trades with upside go, it’s hard to dislike this one.
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (who will from now on be referred to as LDT) may not have played since 2019, but during that season he allowed just 2 sacks and 20 pressures in 592 pass blocking snaps at RG. In 2017 he was even better, 1 sack and 12 pressures in 400 pass block snaps.
Its a good trade for the Jets, LDT is a lineman who can push GVR to improve and then take over from him if he doesn't. It's hard to know what we can expect from LDT because he hasn’t played for a while, but he’s still just 30 so you have to believe he has plenty left in the tank.
LDT opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID and spent time working in a Montreal long-term care facility during the pandemic. He was named a co-winner of the Lou Marsh Trophy, which is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete. He was also the recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the 2021 ESPYs for his decision to opt out of the 2020 NFL season to help fight the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Daniel Brown was in the final year of his contract, and so is LDT so its a swap of expiring contracts.
Is there a controversy brewing at QB in New York?
🏈 If you didn’t enjoy seeing Mike White carve up the Bengals defense to the tune of 405 yards, 3 touchdowns and an 88.2% completion percentage, then you’re probably not reading this because I imagine you’re not a Jets fan.
The media tried to corner Coach Saleh into committing to Zach Wilson when he returns from his PCL sprain and Saleh rightfully said they would play it week-to-week, and with a sly smile he said he’d let the media and fans have fun with that question, so, shall we'?
There seems to be two predominant thoughts in relation to the Jets QB position.
Position one:
Mike White is the next Tom Brady, he was drafted late thanks to a great oversight and he is about to start the greatest Cinderella story since, well, Tom Brady. I have genuinely seen people compare Mike White to Tom Brady, Jets Facebook is a strange place. It’s like the dark web, you know it’s there, but it’s wise not to delve too deeply.
Position two:
Zach Wilson has to be the starter as soon as he returns and it really doesn’t matter what Mike White does against the Colts and potentially the Bills. We invested a #2 pick in him and the only way for him to learn is to be on the field. Mike White is a flash in the pan and will doon disappear into the ether.
I sit somewhere in the middle. While I don’t think Mike White is Tom Brady, I do think he’s capable of executing this offensive system that relies on horizontal passing and yards after the catch. I also accept that we invested a lot in Zach and having him on the field is a good way for him to learn, but not the only way.
What does Mike White need to do to keep the job?
This is an interesting question.
White came in against the Bengals and dink and dunked his way to an outstanding and historical stat line. Cincinnati had very little, to no tape on White and how he was going to attack the defense was a mystery. I’m happy for Mike, but how does he look when defenses have tape to gameplan against him. What happens when White is faced with a team who takes away the short and intermediate routes and challenges him to beat them deep. His arm is strong enough, but is his accuracy good enough?
The simple fact is we’re so far removed from it being a QB controversy in the true sense of the phrase because we haven’t seen enough from the Jets backup QB.
Let’s say for argument’s sake White comes out and puts 250-300 yards, a couple of touchdowns, and protects the football against the Colts. The Jets walk out of Indianapolis with a QB who’s playing well and a team that has won two straight. If you’re coach Saleh, a man who has preached the importance of wins, are you benching White? Absolutely not. White will continue to play as long as he plays well.
But, what about Wilson?
Wilson has an incredible amount of talent, we saw it at BYU and we’ve seen it in bursts this season. But, he’s also had more than a few low moments where he’s been unable to execute the offense as scripted. He’s struggled with his short and intermediate accuracy and has turned the ball over a lot.
There was a time in the NFL where it was perfectly acceptable to bring in a QB and let him learn on the bench. With a culture of instant gratification, that’s no longer possible, but what if the best thing for Wilson and by default the best thing for the Jets is for him to ride the bench the rest of the way.
Let me just be clear, this is only an option if Mike White continues to play at the level he showed against Cincinnati. If we have a couple of games where he’s not executing and the Jets aren’t winning, then you move back to Wilson and let him learn on the job. But, Wilson should not just be handed the job back based purely on where he was drafted, not if Mike White is leading the Jets to victories.
Interestingly, eagle-eyed fans spotted Zach’s QB coach John Beck on the sideline on Sunday. It seems the Jets have reached out to have Beck be there to support the young QB’s, allowing Mike LaFleur to head to the booth to call plays. It’s sensible and the right thing to do.
For now, there is no controversy
We could wake up on Friday morning off the back of a loss, a loss where Mike White turned the ball over and failed to move the offense. That’s absolutely possible, there is probably a reason why after being drafted in the 5th round of the 2018 draft, White was making his first career start on the 31st of October 2021. If that’s the case then there is no controversy.
The life of a backup with aspirations to start is a cruel world in pro football circles. You can play well for weeks and one bad game and you’re back on the bench. If the price of winning is having to answer a few questions about Mike White and Zach Wilson. I’m willing to take it.
Draft Way
🏈 Every Wednesday between now and the draft I’m going to be turning my attention to one prospect who I think the Jets should be interested in. As we get closer to the draft, I’ll start looking at some of the top talents, but for now, it’s far more interesting to look at some of the guys who aren’t likely to go in the first round and that you may not be all that familiar with.
Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College
Projected Round: 2nd-3rd
Boston College has a good reputation for offensive linemen and they have a good reputation for offensive line coaching as well. That’s why Zion Johnson decided to leave Davidson and continue his quest to play in the NFL prior to the 2019 season. It’s safe to say he’s taken to division one football in a big way.
At 6’3 and 316lbs he plays with a tremendous amount of power, he’s a player mover with enough athleticism to play in an outside-zone blocking scheme. It’s that versatility that I like for the Jets. Although we do run around 65-70% of our plays in zone, we do run some in man as well, and Johnson has the ability to do both.
Just because he’s an outstanding run blocker doesn’t mean he’s not a good pass-protector. To start his career he wasn’t consistent with his technique, but this year he’s been outstanding. As of the middle of October he had given up 0 sacks and 1 pressure through 6 games.
Although he was pushed out to left tackle in 2020, his more natural position is inside at guard, and that’s where he’s playing in 2021. He could climb to the top of the 2nd round if he continues his dominant run blocking.
📝 Roster Moves 📝
The Jets have signed Jarrod Wilson
We’ve also released Noah Dawkins.
Hamsah Nasrilideen has returned to practise following a stint on IR
LaRoy Reynolds has been placed on practise squad IR
Natrell Jamerson has been signed to the practise squad.