The New York Jets are without question one of the teams in need of an upgrade at the quarterback position. Geno Smith is out for the foreseeable future due to a broken jaw, and Ryan Fitzpatrick simply isn’t going to get the job done. Bryce petty is a solid player, but he isn’t ready to step onto an NFL field as a starting quarterback yet.
Making a trade to acquire another quarterback would be a very good idea for the Jets. There is one quarterback that is on the trade market that could be acquired for a cheap price, and that quarterback is Philadelphia Eagles’ second-year quarterback Matt Barkley.
Barkley may not end up being the type of upgraded quarterback that the Jets are looking for, but he has shown a lot of improvement through the Eagles’ first two preseason games. Chip Kelly is without question looking to deal him, but that doesn’t mean that it is because he is a poor player. Tim Tebow is a player that Kelly is incredibly excited about, and trading Barkley would make room for him.
At 24 years old, Barkley is entering the prime of his career from a physical standpoint and simply needs more playing time in order to take the next step in his career.
Philadelphia isn’t going to be asking for a huge return for Barkley in a trade, which would make acquiring him a very wise decision for the Jets. Adding another talented player into the battle for the starting job would be the ideal move.
Throughout the first two weeks of the 2015 NFL preseason, Barkley has looked much sharper and even more comfortable. He has been waiting on an opportunity for playing time, and that simply isn’t going to happen in Philadelphia. If the Jets did acquire him, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him beat out Fitzpatrick for the starting job with the way he has played thus far.
Even if he isn’t able to become the Jets’ starting quarterback, Barkley could be a nice pickup long-term for the Jets. Smith may never develop into a legitimate long-term quarterback, which could open up a role in the future for Barkley. Petty is also a long-term option, but there are many that don’t believe he will be a future starter either.
That being said, Barkley would at least throw another player into the competition for the Jets. It would give them another option if other players don’t step up and improve.
Assuming the asking price is a late-round draft pick, there is no reason why the Jets shouldn’t make the move to acquire him. Young quarterbacks are always capable of being developed, and Todd Bowles could work with him over the next year or two to see what talent can be brought out in him.
New York has been in need of as much talent as they can find over the course of the past few seasons. They are about to begin a new era of football this season, and bringing on board another talented quarterback would be smart. It will be interesting to see what teams show interest in acquiring Barkley, but the Jets should make themselves one of them.
