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Jets move on to intriguing Plan B by signing Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater, but potential complications loom


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The Jets quickly moved on to an intriguing Plan B after being discarded by Minnesota-bound Kirk Cousins on Tuesday. Gang Green, spurned by the most coveted quarterback in the free-agent pool, will be signing Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater to one-year deals to hold the fort, according to sources.

McCown, whose deal is worth $10 million, is expected to be the starter entering the offseason program, according to a source, but the Week 1 starter is far from solidified. Bridgewater’s arrival will create an interesting dynamic after the Jets add a quarterback in the first round of the upcoming draft as they’re expected. (Spoiler: Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg will be gone in that scenario barring a minor miracle).

 
The Jets wanted to land Cousins in the worst way, but there was a feeling in the building in recent days that he was destined for the Vikings.

Truth be told, the Jets, flush with cash and a league-high $90 million in salary cap space, were bracing for this irritating outcome, but it still stung and burned them. (Cousins is expected to sign a fully guaranteed three-year deal with the Vikings for $84-86 million).

The silver lining for the Jets is that the brain trust will have ample financial flexibility to address a litany of deficient areas now. It’s curious, however, that the Jets added two veterans given that any incoming first-round rookie signal-caller will require sufficient reps to develop.

 
Bridgewater, unquestionably the greatest unknown quarterback on the free-agent market, provides a low-risk, high-reward option for general manager Mike Maccagnan, who desperately needs to solve his franchise’s most glaring need.
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater
Vikings quarterback Teddy BridgewaterIMAGE BY: ALEX BRANDON/AP

The 25-year-old signal-caller has the oddest of resumes: 29 career starts yet none in the past two seasons thanks to the knee injury suffered before the 2016 season. Although Bridgewater is young with a pedigree (first-round pick, 17-12 as a starter, one playoff appearance), there are legitimate questions about his ability to fulfill the promise he showed before his injury. Some folks on One Jets Drive still wonder whether he’s fully healed.

McCown’s on-field production in 2017 coupled with his invaluable intangibles (there might be no greater locker room presence in the league) made it a no-brainer to bring him back.

“I’m excited to be back with the organization and continuing building on the chemistry in this locker room,” McCown told the Daily News on Tuesday.

The Jets’ Plan B doesn’t come without potential complications.

Although it’s somewhat understandable that Maccagnan & Co. would want to throw as many quarterback darts at the board to see who sticks, will there be enough snaps for the new trio?

The Jets will look to bring back Josh McCown... and possibly add Teddy Bridgewater.
The Jets will look to bring back Josh McCown... and possibly add Teddy Bridgewater.IMAGE BY: EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES

Think about it: McCown is the leader in the clubhouse to be the opening-day starter. Bridgewater wants to resurrect his career. The incoming rookie should have an opportunity to play at some point in 2018.

Would the rookie’s development be stunted with McCown and Bridgewater there? As we learned last summer, there simply aren’t enough reps to go around for three guys in training camp. The Jets, of course, could replicate their plan from a year ago when McCown took a de facto vacation in the preseason, while Petty and Hackenberg got the bulk of work, but this feels like overkill.

Bridgewater must not have had very many, if any, quality options. Why else would such a young quarterback with starting experience and 64.9 career completion rate want to be sandwiched between a 15-year veteran incumbent and a rookie picked in the Top 6 (or higher)?

The Jets slapped a couple Band-Aids on to their most glaring hole on Tuesday, but the problem is far from solved.

They still need to find their franchise quarterback in the draft.

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7 minutes ago, NYJets8 said:

25 year old TB / and McCown give us some flexibility at the top of the draft.  Targeting   Luke Falk / Lamar Jackson instead;

Not okay with not taking an upper echelon QB prospect. Don’t care about draft flexibility at the position. Teddy and Josh give me nothing to jump up and down with joy for, knowing the position is locked down for the next 10-15 years.

Flexibility works for me in just about every other situation/position ... don’t want to hear anything about flexibility for the 2018 QB class. Get Rosen, Mayfield or Darnold and no other exceptions. Know a lotta’ guys here love Lamar Jackson and we even have some poor souls who covet Josh Allen ... that’s fine .. not knocking them but as far as prospects go...I need the Jets to grab the purest passer and most immediately pro ready QB there is. Opinions can differ but I think most agree that’s probably Rosen. Get us the top of the top.

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1 minute ago, jgb said:

Teddy is an easy story to root for but if Macc/Bowles think the emotional angle is going to give them a free pass if they fail to find the QB of the future in the draft they are fatally mistaken.

Bottom line is there has to be a target.  Physical nature will play out.

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Wow man wow. Mc Cown, TB, a DP, Hack, Petty. Are the Jets gonna carry  3, 4 or 5 QBs. They are gonna dump Petty for sure. Hack a 2nd round draft bust??? Looks like another QB circle jerk. Only the Jets can accomplish this calamity. WTF!!!

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4 hours ago, Patriot Killa said:

Not okay with not taking an upper echelon QB prospect. Don’t care about draft flexibility at the position. Teddy and Josh give me nothing to jump up and down with joy for, knowing the position is locked down for the next 10-15 years.

Flexibility works for me in just about every other situation/position ... don’t want to hear anything about flexibility for the 2018 QB class. Get Rosen, Mayfield or Darnold and no other exceptions. Know a lotta’ guys here love Lamar Jackson and we even have some poor souls who covet Josh Allen ... that’s fine .. not knocking them but as far as prospects go...I need the Jets to grab the purest passer and most immediately pro ready QB there is. Opinions can differ but I think most agree that’s probably Rosen. Get us the top of the top.

Looking at the chaos, at a loss with this love for Mccown. They won 5 games; if he's such a  great mentor, how is it Petty was only allowed on the field once Mccown was hurt, and Hackenberg not at all?  And with 2 vets in 2018 camp, how does a rookie get any practice snaps? One or the other works. But both makes no sense at all. And not getting an option on Bridgewater means if he comes all the way back and is The Man, you have basically paid for his rehab and nothing else going forward. It doesn't look like any kind of coherent plan, except giving them an excuse not to pick a QB with the 6th pick. 

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4 minutes ago, Bugg said:

Looking at the chaos, at a loss with this love for Mccown. They won 5 games; if he's such a  great mentor, how is it Petty was only allowed on the field once Mccown was hurt, and Hackenberg not at all?  And with 2 vets in 2018 camp, how does a rookie get any practice snaps? One or the other works. But both makes no sense at all. And not getting an option on Bridgewater means if he comes all the way back and is The Man, you have basically paid for his rehab and nothing else going forward. It doesn't look like any kind of coherent plan, except giving them an excuse not to pick a QB with the 6th pick. 

It’s a super odd situation based around precautionary measures I think. Both QB’s aren’t very healthy guys the past few years and I guess if we DO go up and get a QB then they wouldn’t want McCown or Teddy to go down and the Rookie have no one there to play behind him. Idk man. I been trying to crack this code since the first minute I heard about it. Extremely frustrating. I need answers though.

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Just now, Patriot Killa said:

It’s a super odd situation based around precautionary measures I think. Both QB’s aren’t very healthy guys the past few years and I guess if we DO go up and get a QB then they wouldn’t want McCown or Teddy to go down and the Rookie have no one there to play behind him. Idk man. I been trying to crack this code since the first minus I heard about it. Extremely frustrating. I need answers though.

Leave it to the Jets to take their dumpster fire at QB and turn it into something even weirder. Feels like they were negotiating with both at the same time and unexpectedly got yeses form both never expecting that could happen. 

At a loss how this franchise thinks anyone is jumping for joy because Mccown is back. Don't get it.

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I seriously HATE Bowles. Last year I was screaming that we should start Hack. He’s probably hot garbage, but at least let us  physically see him play in the regular season. 

Petty is gone. If we draft a QB in round 1, which we will, then Hack will be gone too without ever throwing a single attempt in a regular season game. Absolutely ridiculous. 

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If the Jets do not pick a QB with the #6 pick, Mac should be fired on the spot. Any GM who allows Fitzpatrick and McCown to be the starting QB's for all 4 years of his tenure with ZERO hope of a franchise QB is incompetent and doesn't deserve a job a s an equipment manager, let alone a GM position.

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In all seriousness. Jets have a lot of chips to play with. Trading up to the top 3 this year is a must. Whatever it takes. Brown’s want a RB and will probably take a QB. Giants will surprise me if they don’t take a QB. Colts have a big question mark with Luck. They may take a QB. Broncos are taking a QB. If they wait until 6 they may be looking at Rudolph or Jackson, maybe Allen or Mayfield. If Brown’s go Barclay at 1, Darnold or Rosen will be there at 3. That’s how my crystal ball ? sees it.

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9 hours ago, NYJets8 said:

25 year old TB / and McCown give us some flexibility at the top of the draft.  Targeting   Luke Falk / Lamar Jackson instead;

Hooray! The can leverage same strategy as they took in free agency! Get the 5th or 6th best player available at each of their respective positions and declare victory!

The Jets are unveiling a whole new war strategy! Let's go to war and fight each teams' F-16's with four of the Wright Brothers' original prop planes! Each of these loser organizations only have one Tom Brady/Big Ben/Aaron Rodgers but we'll have FOUR Josh McCowns! Take that, dummies!

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