What ultimately undid the New York Jets this season was poor quarterback play. In other news, human breath oxygen and 2 + 2 = four.
New York's struggles under center are well documented, but look again and you'll see that this team wouldn't have been half bad if they had a competent quarterback. They finished third in rushing yards per game (142.5) and fifth in rushing defense (93.1 yards per game). Even though their secondary was rightly maligned, they ended up finishing in the top half of the league for opposing passing yards per game. The makings of a decent team are all there in New York. All that is missing is a quarterback.
With that in mind, will New York make a bold move in the 2015 NFL draft and try to bring Florida State's Jameis Winston to the Big Apple?
"Gotham and everything it has to offer a rich 21-year-old would certainly set off the klaxons in regard to Winston," Nate Davis of USA Today wrote. "But the Jets have been rolling the dice for decades seeking the heir apparent to Joe Namath and will doubtless continue doing so until they stop coming up with snake eyes."
Both ESPN NFL draft insiders Todd McShay and Mel Kiper have Winston being selected in the first two picks. But if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decide to go with Oregon's Marcus Mariota at No. 1 overall, the Jets could have a shot at Winston. At No. 6, New York is in a prime spot to trade up with the Tennessee Titans, who may be looking to add more draft capital, and draft Winston at No. 2.
"The Titans will be hoping for several [quarterback] needy teams to emerge in order to maximize their opportunity to trade out of the No. 2 spot, collect more picks and address other needs," ESPN's Paul Kuharsky wrote.
Will Winston be in a Jets uniform next season? We'll just have to wait and see.
