On the surface, the fact that Joe Namath holds the New York Jets record for wins as a starting quarterback isn’t terribly concerning. Namath is a Hall of Famer and a former Super Bowl champion who led the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns in 1972.
Considering no Jet has topped Namath’s win total of 60 since he left the organization in 1976, however, it becomes as clear as day that New York needs to invest in a quarterback.
The Jets haven’t won a championship since 1968, and that can be linked directly to the instability under center. Over the past two years alone, the Jets have started four different players: Josh McCown, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty, and Geno Smith.
While there are concerns about his approach to the game, Baker Mayfield could be the player who stops the bleeding for the Jets.
Mayfield measured well at the Senior Bowl, which put to rest some of the hesitation about his size. As for what he does on the field, he can make all of the throws, takes good care of the ball, can tuck it and run when the pocket collapses, and is better under pressure than advertised.
For perspective: Mayfield had the best passer rating under pressure of any FBS quarterback in 2017, 2016, and 2015. The Jets would be getting a promising talent.