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McNabb, Bulger should head list to replace Favre
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Could McNabb come to the Jets? (AP/Matt York)
Now that Brett Favre has come and gone it is time for the New York Jets to find their next franchise quarterback. There will be plenty of speculation regarding the next signal caller for Gang Green, but the criteria for the candidate should be very easy to figure out.
The next leader of the Jets offense should be a proven, established NFL quarterback that understands what it takes to win in the NFL. Why you ask? Look at the situation that the quarterback is walking into:
- The Jets rushing offense was ranked 9th in the NFL.
- Gang Green’s offense scored 25.3 points a game, ranking 3rd in the AFC.
- The offense averaged 331 yards a game, ranking 7th in the AFC.
- The Jets have the AFC rushing leader in Thomas Jones on the roster, as well as a game breaking back in Leon Washington.
- In Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, and Dustin Keller, the Jets have a good group of pass catchers in place.
As you can see the cupboard is far from bare when analyzing the potential for the 2009 Jets offense. So would it make sense to hand this opportunity over to an unproven, inexperienced quarterback? Of course not.
So what free agent signal callers are available?
Kurt Warner - The odds are that he will return to the Arizona Cardinals.
Kerry Collins - Chances are he will be returning to the Tennessee Titans. If not, Kerry is a one-year option at best, and definitely not what the Jets need at this point. Also he tends to throw untimely interceptions that will remind many of Vinny Testaverde.
Byron Leftwich - Has had a career resurrection in Pittsburgh, but his slow release is still concerning. Add in the numerous leg injuries and Byron appears to be a solid #2 QB at this point.
Jeff Garcia - A fiery competitor but not sure how much gas is left in his tank. Like Collins, Jeff would be a one-year fix at best.
What about the possibility of trading for a veteran QB? If the Jets are willing to look outside the box as they did with Brett Favre, they may find what they are looking for.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Donovan McNabb are currently at an impasse over a contract extension. McNabb, bothered by a mid-season benching, wants a financial commitment from the Eagles to remove any doubt about his future as the team’s starting quarterback. If a deal is not in place prior to the beginning of the off-season programs, Donovan has reportedly threatened to sit them out.
Some nuggets on McNabb:
- Donovan has thrown for almost 30,000 yards with 194 touchdowns.
- Led his team to five NFC Championship games as well as one Super Bowl
After a horrific season, the St. Louis Rams hired a new coach in Steve Spagnuolo and are a team clearly in rebuilding mode. As with every renovation project in the NFL, the Rams are looking to get younger, acquire draft picks, as well as get rid of pricey contracts. Quarterback Marc Bulger is entering the third year of a six-year deal worth approximately $60 million.
Some notes on Bulger:
- Marc has thrown for over 21,000 yards with 117 touchdowns.
- A two-time Pro Bowl quarterback that reached 1,000 completions faster than any QB in NFL history.
A perfect match? Both McNabb and Bulger fit the profile of what the Jets are looking for as their next quarterback. Granted they come with heavy price tags, but anything is possible when it comes to manipulating the salary cap. From restructuring contracts, to releasing overpriced veteran players, cap room can always be established. It will all come down to what the Jets are willing to give up to acquire one of these players.
Either way, McNabb and Bulger should be on the top of the Jets wish list.
For the Philadelphia Eagles viewpoint of the McNabb situation check out Andrew Tulin's piece.
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