The New York Jets will reportedly target a quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft and will reportedly pick one within the first two rounds, according to Tony Pauline of Draft Insider. The Jets were eliminated from the playoffs in a loss against division rival the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday, and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Reports surfaced prior to the final game of the regular season that the Jets had interest in retaining Fitzpatrick in 2016 and that the veteran quarterback would like to return to New York next season, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Fitzpatrick had the best season of his NFL career, throwing a career-high 31 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. It was Fitzpatrick's first season with the Jets, but he already had developed chemistry with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey back when the two where in Buffalo.
Fitzpatrick turns 34 years old next season, and the Jets are clearly not sold on quarterback Geno Smith. Jets fans are likely questioning why the organization used a fourth-round draft pick on former Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty, but the team must not be impressed with what Petty has done in practice, as they are looking to draft their third quarterback in four drafts.
California quarterback Jared Goff and Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch have announced their decision to apply for early entry in the 2016 NFL Draft, but they are unlikely to be on the board by the time the Jets select. The Jets have the 20th pick in the first round of the draft and could look to target quarterbacks like Michigan State's Connor Cook or North Dakota State's Carson Wentz. There could also be some solid quarterbacks found in later rounds, such as Penn State's Christian Hackenberg, but the Jets front office will need to be sold on whoever they pick or else they could be throwing away another important pick. Quarterbacks can be found in later rounds as seen in the past, but the Jets organization has clearly struggled evaluating the position in the past decade.
