Adam Schefter stirred the pot on "Get Up" this week, tossing out Ty Simpson's name in connection with the New York Jets. Look, the Jets and quarterbacks in the draft. It’s a story as old as time, and usually, it ends in tears. From Mark Sanchez to Sam Darnold to Zach Wilson, the track record is brutal. The 2021 draft, when they took Wilson second overall, still stings. He threw for just nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his rookie year. You can’t ignore that history.
Real talk: drafting a quarterback, especially one who hasn't started a full season, is always a gamble. Simpson, out of Alabama, has talent. You see it in flashes. He completed 14 of 28 passes for 168 yards and an interception in limited action last season. Not exactly eye-popping numbers, but he was stuck behind Jalen Milroe. He’s got the arm strength, and he’s mobile enough to extend plays. But the leap from Bama backup to NFL starter is massive. It’s not just about physical tools. It’s about processing speed, reading defenses, and handling the pressure of a New York market that devours young QBs.
Here's the thing: Aaron Rodgers is 40. He tore his Achilles four snaps into the 2023 season. That injury is no joke, especially for a guy his age. He’s back, reportedly looking good in OTAs, but how long does he realistically have? Maybe two years? One? The Jets need a succession plan, and they need it now. They can’t afford to miss again. They invested heavily in Rodgers, trading multiple draft picks, including a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder, to get him from Green Bay. They’re all in for the short term.
So, do you use a mid-round pick on a project like Simpson, hoping he can develop under Rodgers? Or do you kick the can down the road, hoping Rodgers plays until he’s 45? The Jets have a solid roster otherwise. Garrett Wilson snagged 95 catches for 1,042 yards last season. Breece Hall ran for 1,104 yards. The defense is legitimately elite. They allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game in 2023. They’re a quarterback away, and if Rodgers goes down again, they're back to square one. Drafting a developmental guy makes sense in principle, but the Jets’ window is right now.
The Jets have been burned by early picks at quarterback so many times. Geno Smith, taken in the second round of 2013, showed flashes but never truly solidified. Christian Hackenberg, a second-rounder in 2016, never even played a regular-season snap. This isn't about Simpson's talent; it's about the organizational history of developing quarterbacks. They brought in Nathaniel Hackett to run the offense, a system Rodgers knows well. Can Hackett also mold a young QB? That’s a different skillset entirely.
My hot take? The Jets will absolutely draft a quarterback, but it won’t be Ty Simpson. They’ll look for someone with more college starting experience, even if it means reaching a bit. They can't afford another project who might take three years to develop. They need someone who can step in relatively quickly if Rodgers falters. I predict they take Jayden Daniels if he slides, or they trade up for Bo Nix in the second round.