Manish(Mail bag): Gang Green a little divided on which QB to pick.

[Patriot Killa]

Jets Mailbag: Gang Green is divided on which quarterback to draft

The latest super-sized edition of the Jets Mailbag features the complicated truth about Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen, Bridgewater trade bait, the value of the Wonderlic test and the chances that the Giants do Gang Green a favor.

Continue to tweet questions about all things Jets to @MMehtaNYDN.

Did they trade three second-rounders to move up three slots to take a pipsqueak QB from a spread offense? They should be sued for gross negligence if that is the case. — @BigOliveri

The Jets quarterback decision is absolutely fascinating. My understanding is that it's a fluid and complicated situation. Shortly after Gang Green traded with the Colts to jump up to the No. 3 spot a couple weeks ago, I touched base with folks on One Jets Drive to get a better handle on the motivation behind the deal.

The people in the organization that I spoke to loved Baker Mayfield's fire, competitiveness and leadership, but thought he was a tick below Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen at that time. However, they cautioned that there was still an important part of the evaluation process that included Pro Days — and more importantly — the impending private workouts and visits to Florham Park.

Make no mistake: The Jets are currently divided on which quarterback to take at No. 3. Oh, sure. The team will invariably try to sell us that (INSERT DRAFTED QB HERE) was the top choice all along, but I've heard enough varying opinions about these four quarterbacks from inside the organization to know better.

Let's get something clear: There isn't a civil war on One Jets Drive, but there are varying opinions and preferences. This regime has encouraged healthy debate through the years for all draft prospects, so I firmly believe that it's a good thing that there are differing positions on the top four signal callers. It shouldn't come as a surprise, after all. There are good and not-so-good traits for each of those players.

Full disclosure: Rosen would be my choice if he's on the board. The former UCLA quarterback has drawn comparisons to Jay Cutler because of his intellect and relatively low tolerance for people who don't share his football I.Q. New offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates got the best out of Cutler in Denver and Chicago. I have confidence that Bates would help turn Rosen, a quiet leader, into a star for the next decade. It would be a perfect personality match.

 

Rosen might not have the escapability to make plays off schedule like the other three guys, but he is the best in the pocket.

When I see Rosen, I see Matt Ryan.

Others believe that Allen, who played in Wyoming's pro-style offense, shouldn't be discounted due to his low completion percentage, because his wide receivers, well, stunk. Know this: There are very important people in the building who love Allen's skill set. He's a physical specimen. His potential is undeniable. There are some Jets folks, however, who wonder whether Allen has the makeup to make it in the New York crucible.

Now, Mayfield. While everyone I touched base with in the organization can't say enough about his intangibles, there are concerns about his height (6-foot, 5/8) and hand size (9 ¼ inches).

There's a reason why Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and, yes, Fran Tarkenton (whom Todd Bowles mentioned recently) are outliers. That's not to say that Mayfield can't be successful at his height at the next level, but it's an inherent challenge that doesn't impact the other three guys.

Will Mayfield make the transition from a college spread system?

Will he be a dual threat at the next level? (Allen ran a faster 40-yard dash (4.75) at the Combine. Mayfield's 4.84 was a tick better than Darnold's 4.85).

Does Mayfield have the necessary anticipation on his throws?

Is he Brett Favre, whose freakishly large hands (10.4 inches) helped him excel in cold weather, or Case Keenum or Chase Daniel?

There's even a debate about Mayfield's footwork. It needs to be nearly flawless to excel in the pocket at that height at this level. (Brees, for example, has arguably the best footwork in the NFL.)

There are some folks on One Jets Drive who aren't concerned about Mayfield's uneven footwork, because he was absurdly accurate in college. His completion rate was like a video game: 68.5 percent in four seasons. His completion rate in his final two years was even better: 70.8 percent.

Here's the bottom line: Mike Maccagnan has contractual control over the draft and the 53-man roster. He will pull the trigger on this franchise-altering draft pick. When all the discussion and debate end, he will have final say.

But the pick remains a mystery for several reasons, including the reality that nobody actually knows what the Giants will do at No. 2.

My understanding is that one of the major reasons why the Jets struck so quickly on this trade was that they believed that the Bills were angling to swap with the Colts, too. Buffalo is still hoping to move up to position itself to draft a quarterback, according to sources. The Jets, frankly, were concerned that their AFC East rivals would beat them to the punch and make a deal with Indy, who quietly made it known that they were open for business and looking to move down to stock up on draft capital.

The Patriots' blockbuster trade with the Rams Tuesday night gave Bill Belichick more draft capital ammunition to try to trade up for Tom Brady's heir apparent. Could the Evil Empire rocket all the way up to No. 2 by making a deal with the Giants? A few teams in the Top 10, including the Jets, are fully aware of the Patriots' affinity for Mayfield.

Or will the Bills continue to inch up the board and ultimately make a trade with the Giants to get their quarterback (believed to be Allen)?

Which signal callers will actually be available when the Jets are on the clock? Right now, it looks like Rosen and Mayfield.

Alas, nobody really knows at this point.

If you would have told me on April 4, 2016, that the Jets would have drafted Christian Hackenberg in the second round, I would have called you coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs since just about nobody other than the GM wanted to take the Penn State quarterback that high.

My understanding is that Maccagnan isn't likely to retreat to Big Macc Island again. There's a strong feeling on One Jets Drive that this will be a joint decision between the general manager and head coach, which bodes well for more voices to be heard. Todd Bowles will lean heavily on Bates, who will have the gargantuan task of molding the incoming rookie into a franchise quarterback.

Is it possible that the Jets parted with three premium draft picks to move up three spots for a short quarterback with small hands from a spread offense? I'll repeat what I wrote a few weeks ago: One successful general manager of a team that isn't in the market for one of these four guys told me that Mayfield was the quarterback that he liked most in this draft class.

So, yes. Anything is possible.

Is there a possibility we will be able to trade Teddy Bridgewater at some point for draft picks? A couple good games this season could build some value. — @MikeDvornek

Let's look at this logically. Why would any team trade away draft capital for Bridgewater in-season when he's scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after 2018? First things first: Bridgewater, who's not even fully recovered from his grievous knee injury suffered two years ago, isn't even a lock to make the Week 1 roster.

 

Do you think Josh Allen is another Hackenberg or is he better? — @Pieter_Van_Pelt

Allen is a much better pro prospect than Hackenberg. I understand that his 56 percent completion rate scares some people, but look closer. His supporting cast was borderline trash. The kid has had invaluable exposure to a pro-style system. I don't really care how far he can throw the ball though. He's got a rifle arm. I get it.

But there's something potentially special about this player. The question is: Do the Jets have the patience to get it out of him? It will take time, but the payoff could be astronomical.

Josh Allen scored extremely high on his Wonderlic: 37. I think that's very important for the quarterback position. Agree? — @flickguy123

Full disclosure: I was bit a surprised when I saw Allen's score given that NFL people have consistently told me that Allen wasn't as good on the board as the other three quarterbacks. Rosen and Mayfield were the two sharpest guys on the board, according to NFL personnel people (excluding the Jets).

I think there's some value in Wonderlic scores for quarterbacks, centers and linebackers who made pre-snap reads/defensive calls. Maybe safeties too. Those are positions that require a person to decipher and process information quickly before and after the snap on every play. So, any critical thinking timed exam has some value, but it's hardly the be-all, end-all.

A high score isn't indicative of how good a quarterback will be in the NFL, but a particularly low score is troubling to me. So, Allen's 37, Rosen's 29, Darnold's 28 and Mayfield's 25 don't really reveal much. However, I would be concerned with Lamar Jackson's 13. Then again, Donovan McNabb (14) and Randall Cunningham (15) didn't exactly ace the 12-minute, 50-question test, but managed to have excellent careers.

If you were wondering, here are the scores of some quarterbacks you might know: Eli Manning (39), Aaron Rodgers (35), Tom Brady (33), Drew Brees (28), Russell Wilson (28), Ben Roethlisberger (25).

The highest score ever for a quarterback? Ryan Fitzpatrick's 48. He went to Harvard, in case you were unaware.

 

The Giants & Jets are stadium co-owners, sitting No. 2 & No. 3 in what likely could be a franchise-changing draft for the Jets. What are the odds the Giants help their business partner by revealing to the Jets on the QT who the Giants are planning to draft at No. 2? — @Sec309sBack

HAHAHA.

Sorry. I had to get that out of my system. Here's the real answer to your question:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Chances that the Giants want to help the Jets in any way? 0.0 percent. Probably less.

[Patriot Killa]

To me, for Manish, this is a pretty decent read.

[JiFtheOracle]

Everyone wants to make the Matt Ryan comparison with Josh Rosen ever since I did...jeez...give a guy some credit occasionally. 

[Integrity28]

I don’t read this scumbags articles.

[jetstream23]

17 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

To me, for Manish, this is a pretty decent read.

I agree.  One of his better pieces, most likely because he wrote a lot without taking unnecessary digs at previous QB picks, mentioned Hackenberg appropriately in the context of the decision-making being more inclusive this time around....and he didn't resort to mentioning Blair Thomas, Kyle Brady, or Vernon Gholston.

Regarding this draft, IMO Darnold and Rosen are the safest picks.  They're still the two best prospects from a risk/reward standpoint.  When it comes to Allen and Mayfield I think teams will have a pretty simple question:  Would you rather take a shorter, non-prototypical prospect with great production and accuracy in college or take a big guy with a big arm who can do things no other QB in this draft can do but underperformed in college with accuracy concerns?  Mayfield and Allen probably have the same risk/reward profile....it's just that their risks are different and the rewards are likely different (ceiling).

[UntouchableCrew]

Actually a pretty good read, even if I'm skeptical of the number of people at Florham Park who actually talk to him.

[20andOut]

Should it be any surprise that there is a variety of opinions in Jets management on the top 4 QBs. There are different opinions everywhere, the scouting reports, the mocks..  Everyone of these QBs has distinct strengths and weaknesses and everybody has them rated differently.

[Smashmouth]

2 hours ago, JiF said:

Everyone wants to make the Matt Ryan comparison with Josh Rosen ever since I did...jeez...give a guy some credit occasionally. 

manish reads JIF everyday

[BurnleyJet]

Dear Douche, Manish mail bag.

[FidelioJet]

Should it be any surprise that there is a variety of opinions in Jets management on the top 4 QBs. There are different opinions everywhere, the scouting reports, the mocks..  Everyone of these QBs has distinct strengths and weaknesses and everybody has them rated differently.

Right, I would be much more concerned if there weren’t different opinions.


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[Saul Goodman]

He needs to stick his neck out and make a set-in-stone prediction on who we’re taking before the draft, as should all of the best writers. 

[JetFaninMI]

Even thought it was a decent read its still Manish. Which means its probably 30% truth and the rest is bullsh*t and conjecture.

[Scott Dierking]

It is weird that "people inside the organization" are not telling Manish their true intentions. Really odd.

[Dcat]

5 hours ago, Patriot Killa said:

To me, for Manish, this is a pretty decent read.

He's still extraordinarily unprofessional in his writing.  What professional "writer" does this "hahahahahahaha"?  Mehta is an infant.  He might as well have written "Bwahahahaha".  

He's been such a little twerp through the years, I can't read anything this little pecker writes without a jaded opinion.  The NYDN, snotrag that it is, can't go out of business fast enough for me.

[C Mart]

5 hours ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Actually a pretty good read, even if I'm skeptical of the number of people at Florham Park who actually talk to him.

I highly doubt any of the decision makers in FP are giving him any legitimate info. He’s just guessing like the rest of us and every mock out there.