As New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh recently put to bed any speculation of a quarterback change coming prior to Aaron Rodgers’ return, their recent offensive struggles beg to question whether passing on free agent Carson Wentz was wise.
Wentz’s Arm, & Familiarity with Jets Personnel Made Sense For Potential Pairing
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Wentz recently signed with the Los Angeles Rams after the Jets failed to make a move, saying:
“Plus, Jets general manager Joe Douglas is familiar with Wentz from his time as an exec in Philadelphia when Wentz began his career. All it would’ve taken for Wentz to sign was for the Jets to say let’s do it,” Rapoport noted. “Instead, on Tuesday, the Jets reiterated their faith in Wilson behind closed doors and never made Wentz an offer, sources say.”
Wentz was a premiere quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 before an ACL tear cost him the final two games of that regular season, their Super Bowl-winning run, and the MVP award. Since then, he’s been able to produce well for the Indianapolis Colts in his last full season played, approximating his MVP-level output with 3,563 passing yards and a 27-7 TD-INT ratio.
Wentz has a big arm and would have been serviceable for a Jets aerial attack that is bottom-10 in yards per attempt and 20 as well as 40-yard gains. At the very least, having him behind Wilson, who has struggled of late, would have given the Jets security in their efforts to position themselves for a playoff push upon Rodgers’ return.
Jets Adamant on Sticking With Wilson as Wentz Prepares For Backup Role in L.A
Wilson does not deserve all of the blame for the Jets’s 0-2 losing streak. While he’s failed to throw a touchdown in that span and struggled to generate sufficient yardage, the Jets as a whole have not clicked on all cylinders, and their run game has held them back from leading a balanced offensive attack.
New York has at least three weeks to get it together on offense before Rodgers’ injury status gets an update. In the meantime, Wilson will have to channel his success between Weeks 6 and 8 in order to keep the Jets alive in the AFC East.
As for Wentz, he will now backup Matthew Stafford in L.A. as the newest addition to the Rams’ offense on a one-year, veteran minimum deal. While Stafford is 3-5 in starts and is experiencing a dip in completion percentage, he is otherwise secure as L.A.’s starter. Wentz gives Rams head coach Sean McVay a reliable backup option should Stafford go down, with former backup Brett Rypien departing for the Seattle Seahawks.
