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Today, Quarterback David Garrard told a good friend that his problematic knee is going to force him to retire.
He reached out to his friend Adam Schein via text and said, “Having to call it quits. My knee is not holding up. Continuing to swell after practice.”
So now what?
Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. Clearly Garrard’s knee is shot, so you might as well find this out now, and now in early September.
In retrospect, the Jets probably shouldn’t have signed him coming off knee and back surgeries, and soon to be 36.
It’s hard enough for 36-year-old players to survive physically in the NFL, let alone players coming off back and knee surgeries, who have missed two seasons.
As of right now, the Jets will have Mark Sanchez, Greg McElroy and Geno Smith battle for the starting job.
Maybe the Jets can pry Nick Foles loose from Philadelphia.
But you know what, since Smith clearly is the Jets quarterback of the future, why add another one like Foles at this point?
I personally think McElroy would be a good “hold-the-fort” quarterback as the starter until Smith is ready.
Remember, the Jets are putting in a West Coast offense, a great fit for McElroy, who doesn’t have a rocket arm.
So much of the West Coast offense constitutes short-to-intermediate throws to the weapons, and letting them run after the catch. The quarterback needs to make quick, intelligent decisions, something McElroy excels at. He’s extremely bright (43 on Wonderlic).
This concept that the Jets should anoint Geno the starter, and let him learn on the job, flies in the face of John Idzik’s competition mantra.
If Geno proves to be precocious, picks up the system fast, and improves his footwork (after being a shotgun guy in college), and he earns the job, he should start in Week One.
But this “learn on the job” stuff is garbage. It’s not fair to the fans or teammates.
Why would a fan want to pay $125 a ticket (plus PSL fees) to see a kid figure out what he’s doing out there? What a waste of money.
As for teammates, you bust your ass trying to win a game, and the most important position is being handled by a novice. If I were on that team, I’d be pissed.
Play the best guy. Forget about this developing on the job stuff. Sitting and learning worked out great for Aaron Rogers.
Some elitist writers, who basically refuse to acknowledge the very existence of McElroy, are now projecting that Sanchez will start in Week One.
If Mark wins the job, he should be the starter, but there is another issue at work on the Sanchez-front.
So many of the fans have soured on Sanchez, and don’t want to see him anymore.
As one fan said to Idzik today on a conference call with season-ticket holders, “How many years can we go with 26 interceptions? … It’s stupid out there.”
It’s going to be very hard to sell Sanchez to the fans? Very hard.
You just get the sense that if he is introduced on opening day against Tampa Bay, he will be boo’d out of the stadium. And he won’t given much of margin of error to make mistakes without the crowd turning on him.
That is unfortunate, but it might be the harsh reality.
And the way some people are viewing McElroy is unjust.
Don LaGreca, on the Jets flagship station, said something like this, and I’m paraphrasing, “McElroy had his chance and he failed.”
Let me get this straight. He came in the second half against Arizona, and led the team to victory.
Then he started two weeks later against San Diego, got little protection, was sacked 12 times, was concussed, and that is it, that is all she wrote?
That is beyond unfair.
How many mulligans has Sanchez received over the years after rough games? I’ve lost count.
There is an snobbish attitude in the media towards McElroy I don’t get.
Look, I’m not putting him in Canton. I know he has arm limitations, but he’s a smart, game-manager, and at the very least, a good stop-gap measure until Geno is ready.
Expect the Jets to add another quarterback – maybe Tyler Thigpen
Or perhaps Kevin Kolb will be cut by Buffalo, and the Jets can grab him. Or maybe, Drew Stanton is a possibility now that Carson Palmer is in Arizona.
But I really think McElroy can do the job if given the chance. You know who he is, he’s Matt Flynn – they are both cerebral seventh round picks out of the SEC who don’t have howitzers, but make good decisions and can manage the game. Flynn is going to start for the Oakland Raiders this year.
I agree with Mike Mayock. You don’t “hand Geno the keys,” immediately. That would be a mistake.
Geno has a huge upside, but he needs a ton of work on footwork, decision-making, playing under center.
Rushing him could really set him back, especially since he needs to bigger and stronger. He’s somewhat skinny. I don’t know if he’s ready for NFL pounding.
May 15, 2013
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