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Totally disagree with this take:
“I thought the Jets should have been in play for Jalen Milroe,” an NFL executive told The Athletic’s Mike Sando. “They draft [offensive tackle Armand Membou], so they are prioritizing the line of scrimmage a second year in a row. They are going to be a clear running threat with Fields, but when you play that way, you open him up to potential injury. Milroe would let them continue playing that style.”
I like Mike Sando. He is a really good NFL reporter and truly understands the game, and he has great sources.
So I’m not going after him for this take, but more the unnamed executive.
Here is why I think the take is misguided:
Milroe is an incredible athlete with tremendous character, but like almost every other quarterback in this draft, he’s not good at navigating progressions.
He’s mostly a one-read and run QB at this point.
“Milroe is an explosive athlete who is very capable outside the pocket, but he lacks accuracy, touch and decision-making when he’s inside the pocket,” wrote NFL draft analyst Lance Zeirlein for NFL.com. “A lack of anticipation and timing leads to interceptions and contested throws to intermediate areas of the field.”
An unnamed AFC offensive coordinator told NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, “We heard out of Alabama all the skill [players] would’ve transferred if he came back. He wants to be known as a pocket quarterback and your best skill is you’re frickin’ fast.”
In other words, like a lot of one-read quarterbacks, who don’t go through progressions looking for more than one target, he can frustrate the hell out of his receivers.
Pelissero also reported that former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, now the head coach at Boston College, wanted Milroe to switch positions, but the kid wanted to stay at QB.
So why would the Jets want to sign up for this?
The executive’s premise is faulty because, basically, what he’s saying is that their starting quarterback isn’t a big progressions guy who likes to take off and run, so you should have a backup with the same approach.
That is really what he’s saying.
Look, I’m not being a Justin Fields hater. Let’s see if the lightbulb comes on with the Jets. It very well could. We shall see.
I’m just saying that up to this point in the NFL, he has not been the best at going through progressions – one, two, three, checkdown.
We will see if Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, quarterback coach Charles London and passing game coordinator Scott Turner can get him to improve in this area.
Right now, Fields is 0-0 as Jets QB, so I’m not going to criticize anything he’s done with Gang Green. Let’s see what happens.
But the idea they should have drafted a QB to back him up, or has had the same issues in the past as Fields, is just strange logic.
It’s like saying, we have a running back who fumbles a lot, so let’s draft a guy with fumbling issues to back him up.
The Jets did the right thing by not picking Milroe.
Backup QB is actually not one of their weaknesses right now, with rock-solid Tyrod Taylor handling that job.
May 2, 2025
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