Ex-Texas Star Could Help QB-Challenged Club
The Jets have spent so much money on free agency this past offseason that its hard to recap it all in a single article. One wise thing they did was augment their offense and defensive lines. They also got themselves a TE (Dustin Keller) who can get into the seams and get some yards after the catch.
That aside, they are coming into a crucial season without addressing their QB problem. Chad Pennington is an excellent field general, but his arm is an issue. He is a veteran who cannot "make all the throws," so how can this team consider him as their starting QB?
Kellen Clemens looks like he might turn out to be a pro, but I see mechanical and physical problems holding him back—like his height.
The Jets obviously know this because they drafted Tennessee's 6-foot-6 Eric Ainge in the fifth round. He was picked right about where expected, has talent but was not touted as solid pro material, which—as we know—means nothing.
The Jets will be flip-flopping Pennington and Clemens trying to find the right guy until Ainge can step in. The unfortunate part, is they don't have the time right now to be going through that exercise.
After a 4-12 debacle of a season, the organization and the fans will not put up with a losing season, and they will not be receptive to uncertainty at QB. As of this moment, the biggest uncertainty is the certainty at QB.
My solution for the Jets is to trade for Tampa's Chris Simms. He has not played since his spleen surgery in 2006 and has been castigated by Bucs coach Jon Gruden. I don't blame Simms for the fallout, it's all about Gruden asserting his authority. Either way, this kid's talent is being wasted.
Simms is ready to play, but his relationship with Gruden is "broken" and he says he will "never be happy here again—ever." If I were Mike Tannenbaum, I would make an inquiry about Simms.
Simms could come in and compete right away at QB for the Jets. Heck, he might even win the job. We know he can throw and he's been to the playoffs.
The spotlight is not foreign to Simms and he's the type of high-profile "golden boy" the Jets might be able to hang their hat on. Not to mention that he can throw the football like a pro, something this franchise hasn't seen for a while.
Simms is from New Jersey, has a famous father and he would certainly give this franchise the PR boost it most desperately needs. What have they got to lose?
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