The NY Jets re-sign Joe Flacco

With Baker Mayfield, Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cam Newton and of course Jimmy Garoppolo still available, the New York Jets had an opportunity to take a risk, go in a new direction, or make a statement about turning around their fortunes. This is the team that got Broadway Joe Namath, after all.

But in the end, it seems that they have decided that their best bet lies in a familiar set of hands and have re-signed Joe Flacco to a one-year $3.5 million deal.

Exactly one year ago, they sent their starting quarterback to Philadelphia to be Jalen Hurts’ backup. By October, though, both theirs and the Eagles’ plans were thrown in the air when Zach Wilson suffered a knee injury. Flacco came back to Jersey, as a backup now, and ultimately won his starting role again by week 11.

The 37 year old Flacco is not perhaps as strange a choice as he may first appear. As a Raven, he was rookie of the year in 2008 and then the MVP of Super Bowl XLVII. He also has the great advantage of knowing the Jets system, understanding their offense and will perhaps be the least risky of the quarterbacks on offer. His mobility might be an issue, but not his passing strength. Flacco has one of the strongest arms in the NFL.

Joe Flacco has the most career passing yards and touchdowns of any quarterback who was never in a Pro Bowl, and if the Jets are to pull themselves up out of the doldrums, they will need him to continue that run.

This leaves some question marks over some of those other quarterbacks on offer. The market for their services is narrowing every day and while Jimmy G still enjoys the support of the 49ers players and fan base, the same can’t be said of Mayfield or Kaepernick. But that isn’t the Jets concern anymore. They have found their man.