The New York Jets plan to be very active in free agency, according to general manager Mike Maccagnan, but it's unknown for what or for whom. Since there are plentiful free agents in every other position besides quarterback, is New York going to chase Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota in the draft?
Well, there are quarterbacks ready to hit the free agent market, they just aren't the young, franchise-type players you would build your team around. New York can address other needs at the running back, offensive line, linebacker, cornerback and safety positions in free agency and look to add one of the top quarterbacks in the draft with the No. 6 overall pick.
"The consensus top two quarterbacks [Winston and Mariota] in the draft went through all the drills at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, including the throwing drills, and they both impressed the teams looking on, including the quarterback-needy Jets," writes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Both ESPN Insiders Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay have the Jets drafting Mariota with the sixth pick while Winston is projected to go No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Maccagnan said the team would have an interest in "every quarterback out there" and that the team planned to meet with Winston and Mariota last week. The fact that these two Heisman Trophy winners opted to throw at the combine - and succeeded in doing so - proves a lot for teams looking for a quarterback.
"The throwing portion of the combine is something top quarterbacks have avoided in recent years, but both Mariota and Winston looked good throwing the choreographed drills to unfamiliar wide receivers," adds Costello. "They showed deep-ball accuracy and Winston's throwing motion was tighter than the one he used in college."
Maccagnan noted that a lot of the time "intangibles" such as "work ethic and mental toughness" play a more important role in a college quarterback's transition to the NFL. He acknowledged the differing systems at the two levels of play, but it seems he'll focus on the aforementioned traits, especially with these two highly accomplished young men. Winston won a National Championship in 2013 and Mariota led his team to the National Championship Game this past season in the first ever College Football Playoff.
However, Maccagnan also said Geno Smith is "in our mix" because he's still under contract and the team "invested a second-round draft pick in him." And with the addition of Chan Gailey, who runs a Pistol Spread offense, which is similar to what Smith ran at West Virginia, it's still possible the team keeps faith in their incumbent signal caller.
We'll see what happens in the next couple of months leading to the draft.
