Robert Saleh doubles down on Jets’ backup quarterbacks
Even though James Morgan and Mike White have just as many regular season snaps as second overall pick Zach Wilson, Robert Saleh and the Jets sound content with their backup quarterback situation.
“We’ve got the guys we have,” Saleh recently told the New York Post’s Steve Serby. “They had their moments in OTAs, they’ve had good, they’ve had bad, but at the same time they’re getting better, and that’s all you can look for. But right now we have our three quarterbacks in house, and we’re excited to work with ’em.”
This is the same drum Saleh beat after minicamp earlier this summer when questions emerged about the Jets’ quarterback room after Joe Douglas decided against signing veterans like Nick Mullens, Brian Hoyer and Joe Flacco. Saleh noted back in June that there’s a “balancing act” between signing an experienced passer while developing internal talent.
“I don’t know if there’s much value [in having a veteran quarterback] aside from being comfortable that if something – crap hits the fan – that you have a veteran who’s played football,” Saleh said in June. “It’s more of a comforting feeling rather than trying to work your a— off to develop the quarterbacks already in the building.”
Saleh should know how important it is to have an experienced backup in place due to his time in San Francisco, though. The 49ers floundered without Jimmy Garoppolo in two of the past three seasons. But there isn’t much Saleh and the Jets can do now even if they wanted to bring in a veteran to compete with this group.
There have been rumblings of a Nick Foles trade with the Bears, but that would be costly – both in cap space and draft capital. New York could always sign someone like Robert Griffin III or Matt Barkley in free agency. Either solution would cost more than the $1.8 million the Jets are paying for Morgan and White, though, which is likely another reason why Saleh and Douglas are fine rolling with this pair.
Either way, training camp will determine if the Jets truly need a solid reserve quarterback for Wilson depending on how White and Morgan perform. If the duo look solid in Mike LaFleur’s offense, maybe the Jets can risk saving some cash and rolling with an inexperienced group. But if they look atrocious, it would be better for the Jets to bring in an insurance policy if Wilson gets hurt.
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