Kellen Clemens May Need To Take on the Role of Punching Bag in 2009

Most Jets fans are hoping that first round draft pick, Mark Sanchez, will be the one taking snaps from Nick Mangold on opening day in Houston.

However, fans are overlooking one scenario that could very well occur—Mark Sanchez might not be ready to start on opening day.

This scenario puts everyone in an awkward, paralyzing situation.

Kellen Clemens, Mark Sanchez, the front office, the coaching staff and the fans all know that it’s only a matter of time before Sanchez steps in as the team’s starting quarterback; it’s just a matter of when.

Mark Sanchez started just 16 games while at USC. So it’s quite possible that Sanchez may not be ready to run the Jets’ offense by September. 

This means that the Jets will be forced to start Kellen Clemens on opening day.

It’s a tale as old as time in the NFL.

Young, high-profile quarterback sits on the sideline while he continues to develop.

Veteran quarterback starts.

Fans have their pitchforks drawn from the opening day kick-off and everyone associated with the team is in a difficult, awkward situation in knowing that Clemens is only there to fill a spot before Sanchez is ready to step in.

It happened with the Giants and Eli Manning, it happened out in Arizona with Matt Leinart and it happened most recently in Cleveland with Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson.

It’s the type of scenario that presents a lose-lose situation for any NFL team.

Start Clemens because Sanchez is not ready, and you have a starting quarterback who is dealing with the fans, media and possibly even the front office second guessing his every move and anxiously awaiting the day when Sanchez is ready to take over. It’s a situation that can absolutely paralyze a football team.

Start Sanchez before he is ready and you could do irreversible damage to the confidence and spirit of a player that has been touted as the team’s quarterback of the future.

So, what’s the right decision?

Well, in this case, there really isn’t one.

Someone’s going to have to suffer.

As terrible as it is to say, Mark Sanchez is the Jets’ more prized procession

On any football team, everyone has a unique role to play. 

If Mark Sanchez is not ready to start on opening day, Kellen Clemens might find his role on the Jets as punching bag until Sanchez is ready to step in and start.

It’s a difficult situation to throw Clemens, or anyone for that matter, into. But, let’s face it, football is a business and the Jets are certainly not going to take any kind risk with the one piece of their business that’s vital to their future success—that being Mark Sanchez.