Those fans hoping to see the new York Jets select Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza in the NFL draft with the first overall pick won’t be thrilled with the way things have played out in recent days. Even after losing yesterday’s meeting with the Patriots, the Jets are unlikely to have a shot at Mendoza.
With the Raiders losing their game to the New York Giants, they hop up to pick number 1 and realistically, need a quarterback just as badly as the Jets do. Sure, they’ve got Geno Smith, but he’s a quarterback at a point in his career where he should be replaced. Head coach Pete Carroll’s future with the Raiders is uncertain which could mean a full reboot in Vegas with a new head coach and QB. And what better time to do it than when you have the top pick in the draft?
Some have suggested the Jets “trade up no matter what the cost”, but that assumes the QB needy Raiders are dying to swap places with the QB needy Jets and move forward without a signal caller of their own.
While it is possible the Oregon QB Dante Moore could declare, the Jets will have to ask themselves if they’d be willing to hand the franchise over to yet another inexperienced college quarterback. Given how things worked out with Mark Sanchez, Sam Darnold’s first few seasons and Zach Wilson, that could mean extending their playoff drought a few years closer to the two-decade mark.
It’s never easy with the Jets, and things just got a lot harder.
