If they start Sanchez and he has a horrible year it means nothing in the BIG picture. What counts in years 2-3 in which Kellen still showed nothing. HOF 1st year in NFL starter (W/L record): Aikman 0-15 Peyton 3-13 Elway 4-7 Young 1-4 Kelly 4-12 Sanchez will start from game 1, unless he is hurt. You don't set the highest paid player on the bench.
Clemens hasn't played since his first 8 starts (edit: aside from one garbage-time drive), when he had a better record than any of those players you just named. Not saying he's that caliber QB, but give me break. And if Sanchez has a horrible year that means our whole offense has a bad year. You don't start a player based on his salary, especially if he's worse than his competition and especially if a good year for Clemens = respectable trade value.
What did Roger Staubach do in year 2? Clemens didn't get a chance to play in year 3 since we brought in a HOF QB before the season started. What counts is what you do when you get a legitmate chance to start with a decent team around you. For the record, Staubach is arguably the most complete QB in the HOF. Arm, passing in the pocket, on the run, scrambling ability, running for positive yards,leadership, brains, force of will. Not one of the guys you mentioned is arguably better than Roger.
Those players were all seniors coming out of college with plenty of starts under their belt. You sit him if he isn't ready.
From a football standpoint the best performer this offseason should play, regardless of the contract. With that being said, this is a football team and a business, and unfortunately the big money is going to start as long as he's even remotely close to Clemens in his preseason performance. I like Sanchez and I'm pulling for him, I'd like to develop him the way that the Ravens did with Flacco last season. However, I'd prefer the top performer to play, not the top contract. I really hope Sanchez earns his starting job, because either way, he's probably going to be under center when we open against Houston.
If Sanchez has a so-so camp and Clemens has a great one then I think Clemens will start the season. If Sanchez has a decent camp then I don't think it matters what Clemens does, because Sanchez will get the nod. One note on that list: Steve Young came from the USFL so he wasn't a raw rookie, and he got run out of town after two years as the Bucs drafted Vinny Testaverde and sent him packing. Aikman, Manning and Elway are on the mark though. Kelly also came from the USFL and was even older than Young when he started his first NFL game. There was no question at any point whether or not he was going to be a great QB, it was just a question of how long it took. He was the USFL MVP in 1984 and passed for 5,219 yards and 44 TD's. I like Sanchez but on a talent and experience basis he doesn't belong anywhere near any of the guys on the list at the time they got their first chance to play in the NFL and all of them had issues at the start. Someday we can hope he'll compare to those guys, right now I just hope he looks good enough to start the season.
The calculus of who had the best off-season is complicated and the Jets really don't have a remotely similar investment in the two QB's at the moment. They are paying Sanchez $10 million dollars for his presence on the roster this season. Given that fact unless they think he's going to fail they have to play him. It's not like they have the luxury of having Drew Brees on the roster or anything. Philip Rivers starts for San Diego the year they drafted him if Kellen Clemens was the other option.
clemens has plenty of talent.... i don't feel sanchez is absolutely a better qb... i have been watching tape of the 2 .... there was a good chance clemens was going to be a first round pick at before he broke his ankle.... u all are so quick to give up on a guy who has played a total of 8 games and has had chad and farve ahead of him...remember chad should of been a pro bowler last yr so he was far from washed up like some of us all thought....
