There is no right answer when bringing in a backup quarterback. The hope is he never sees the field and merely stands on the sideline with his helmet off, a clipboard or tablet in his hand and an earpiece to hear the calls.
Joe Flacco, though, is the best option for the Jets as a backup quarterback who will ensure the offense can persist without Sam Darnold because of his experience in the league and skillset as a pocket passer.
Let’s get one thing straight: Flacco, who recently turned 35, hasn’t been a good quarterback since 2016 and hasn’t been anywhere close to an elite one since 2014. He’s coming off two consecutive season-ending injuries on two different teams and won’t be cleared until August or September. Even Flacco’s recent stats are horrid – he only played 17 games in the past two seasons with 4,287 yards, 18 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 6-11 record. But like it or not, he’s still a better option than fourth-round rookie James Morgan and perennial backup David Fales because of his knowledge of the game.
This is a similar move to the signing of Frank Gore to back up Le’Veon Bell. Flacco’s experience will make it much easier for him to learn Gase’s offense if the Jets are unable to participate in offseason workouts because of the coronavirus pandemic. Flacco understands how to command an offense effectively – he’s done it for 12 years – and has ample postseason experience that includes a Super Bowl win and MVP accolade.
If everything goes well this season, Flacco will never see the field for the Jets. But if he does, he’s perfect for Gase’s offense. Flacco thrived in the past as a pocket-passer and finished 12th in the league with a 65.3 percent competition percentage in 2019. If called upon, he’d be well equipped to handle the plays Gase and company give to him.
The Jets needed a veteran in the quarterback room after the team went 0-6 the past two seasons without him, and there was no way Joe Douglas would let Gase start the season with Morgan or Fales as the second player on the depth chart. He watched two of his former teams win Super Bowls with backups – the Ravens with Trent Dilfer in 2000 and the Eagles with Nick Foles in 2017 – and picked Flacco as the only viable option. Douglas played a pivotal role in the discovery and drafting of Flacco in 2008, and Flacco rewarded Douglas with his second of three Super Bowl rings in 2012.
While Cam Newton and Jameis Winston are the two best quarterbacks on the market from a pure football standpoint, neither would be good options for Gase considering their experience as starters and the offenses they played in with their former teams. Both would have invited heavy criticism for Darnold if the third-year quarterback faltered in any way this season. Other backup quarterbacks include Matt Moore, Josh McCown, Blake Bortles and DeShone Kizer.
Flacco isn’t a sexy pick, but he’s a quality football player to add to the Jets’ young quarterback unit. He proved capable of at least playing in 2019 with the Broncos before suffering a neck injury – which is more than the Jets can say about their backups from last season.