He may not even be in this draft class. Or even the next one for that matter! That's one of many drawbacks of starting a QB draft discussion when your season is over in September - we don't even know who will be in yet.
If they are committed to a QB next year, they better do due diligence starting yesterday and prioritize properly what makes you successful in the NFL. They should hire a no shit QB guru or evaluator to help with that process. First and foremost, IMO, he must be smart enough to play at NFL scheme standards and game speed. You dont teach smarts. Two, does he have natural NFL pocket awareness, can he read defenses quickly, scan the field for receivers as the play is forming and act decisively. You can improve if you have it, but if you dont you will not succeed. Second, can he release the ball quickly and accurately on a consistent basis. The arm strength is a plus but not the overriding criteria as long as is adequate. And of course, I dont give two cents for superhuman physical traits unless all of the prior ones are met. Give me the next Justin Herbert please.
If Mendoza falls in their laps, take him.... (and let him actually ride the pine for most of year 1) Otherwise, use their draft capital (hopefully gain even more by trading down) to build up a foundation that can prop up the next QB bust they draft next year... and add a flier prospect in the mid-late rounds NO TRADE UPS!
Yeah I'm not opposed to this either. It sounds a little ridiculous but QB is so important that I think you can pretty easily defend taking one in the first round in back to back drafts. Worst case scenario you can always trade one of them and recoup some of the cost.
It's not ridiculous at all. And I see no problem trading up for Mendoza if we think he is a legit top 10 guy. A top 10 QB talent always gets elevated and will be drafted top 5 or top 2-3. The question is, is Mendoza that guy? And if the answer is yes, we will probably have to trade up to get him because of a few meaningless wins, like against the Browns. IF we are even able to trade up, which is far from certain. But let's say the draft is today, we are #5, and we like Mendoza as a legit top 10 prospect, a la a bit more athletic Matty or Goff. We need to get as much intel as possible to see if we can get Tennessee or the Giants #1 or #2 pick to draft him. It may be hard to get passed the Browns, who might be thinking the same and have a higher pick, but I think we will have to try as hard as we can. Might even cost an extra second or even 1st, but that is the price to pay for these meaningless wins at this stage. Getting a QB is that important.
no trade ups and no trading away picks for players other teams are looking to jettison - the Jets are not a team where players go and suddenly get better, if anything it is the total reverse of that.
Folks, what are your thoughts about Mendoza's arm strength? Watched only two games so far, but this one goes legit 50 yards in the air, backfoot at own 17, receiver catches at opposing 33. Doesn't seem like balls to wall type of throw, looks reasonable effortless. https://x.com/SleeperCFB/status/1990157612441321482 Had a 47 yarder like that against Penn too, check at 22s mark: https://x.com/themicknartin/status/1988371875106578599 . Had some good runs there too, seems more athletic than Goff/Ryan types, not a statue at all. All these things within last two games, I didn't just dig out his career best. Sure, not Allen or Mahomes arm strength and athleticism, but feels like the arm is plenty strong enough, and can get out of pocket when required also. Or I am missing something here?
A big arm is very nice but after these last few years, a QB that can throw a pass to the RB in stride on the correct side would be nice. An accurate thrower who can process the field in less than 60 minutes.
that would be a devastating move. you dont trade away all pro players Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams just to give the acquired assets away for Fernando Mendoza. That would be a similar blunder as Carolina's move for Bryce Young after trading away Christian Mccaffrey If Mendoza is there when the Jets pick, its a worthy conversation. I'm on the fence personally but I would not hate it. But no way in hell do you trade UP for him
It just depends on whether you like Mendoza and if so how much. Would you say the same thing if they drafted Stroud? And gave up less compensation. And traded McCaffrey for a lot more than 2nd and lower picks? A lot depends on the compensation. I would not give up a extra 1st, two second rounders, and a DJ Moore level player to go up for Mendoza. But if it is a second round pick from the Cowboys to ensure we get him... That's worth a conversation. To do that though, we need to be picking pretty high. Heck, if we are high enough, we don't have to give up anything at all.
I don’t think the Goff/Matt Ryan comparisons that were made about him were related to play style. I think it relates to a high floor type of guy that can give you top 10 QB years with a good roster but probably aren’t ever going to be top 5 QB’s. Trading assets for Mendoza is really bad business IMO.
I have no capability to evaluate college QB talent, that is for sure no matter how many games I watch. But IMO if we move up for Mendoza to sit him on the bench in year one, to me is a bad desperation rookie move on an uninspiring year for QBs. Last year same wishful thinking by many wanting to get Sanders with the number one pick. What a massive bust that would have been. Of course, you can tell me all day long that on paper he is a better QB etc, etc, etc, but the same was said last year about Sanders, blood lines, arm strength, blah, blah blah, and fortunately he went nowhere as advertised. Buyer beware on this year draft on QB. That is all I can say. I dont want another hit and a miss while overreaching to boot. We have too many holes to start tossing picks out for a QB that has not sold most top analysts as a top five pick yet. In fact, during the first rankings, most experts did not have QB in the top ten player category. That worries me. Stay put and play your cards properly.
your scenario was moving up from number 5 to number 1 or 2. You aren't making that jump with just offering a second round pick
You are right, 5 to 1 or even 2 may be too much assets to give up. Which is why I am hoping to get higher and don't care too much for meaningless victories like against the Browns with 2 special TDs. But if we are closer, and Mendoza continues to play well, would you be open to give up that Cowboys second to secure him? Or only draft him if he is there straight up?
If the Jets stay at 5, it’s not impossible that he falls to them. It seems unlikely but not impossible. You’d have to guess the Titans aren’t taking a QB. New Orleans might like what Shough does the rest of the year and the Giants have Dart. The only barrier is the Browns.
I need someone to "define fall in our laps?" If fall in our laps means burning anything above a top 10 1st rounder then I say hell to the NO! Can't say that I've watched this Mendoza kid other than a couple of minutes here and there while channel surfing or the highlight reels but there is NOTHING that smacks of Jared Goff in this kid. Not a damn thing. People seem to forget that he was actually pretty damn decent while with the Rams. May not have been Stafford but now we are comparing a HoF caliber QB vs. a very good QB. Not that the NY Jets actually give a shit about my personal fandom but, I swear to whatever, if this teams drafts another fucking project then proceeds to shit the bed for the next 4 years, I'm out. I have no desire to die before the team I've supported for decades is even viewed as competitive. Fuck the Super Bowl and Fuck the Playoffs. Right now, I'd just be happy to be fucking .500 and not the god damn doormat of the NFL. Sick of it. So, no, if Mendoza "falls in our lap" at the oh so low pick of #4, 5 or anywhere above 10 then draft a player that's actually going to amount to something within the next 1-3 years. I'm done.
we get it but at this point its just rage someone has to take the snaps next season. The top prospect in all of college football seems as good as any other option. I mean realistic anyway. I'd love Patrick Mahomes but thats not going to happen so why wouldn't we consider Mendoza
There's not much excitement at the QB position this year combined with the fact that the scouting department has only been together for a single season and this FO/CS group just doesn't seem like they earned the right at a first round quarterback at this point. That should be a valuable thing but it's just given to every group of rookies Woody hires. If they take a guy this year and then shit the bed again next season, do you really want to live with their first round QB choice for the next 4 seasons?
