5 teams that need to think about trading for Philip Rivers
By Andrew Garda
New York Jets
The New York Jets have veteran wide receivers (Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker), what looks to be a very good defense, and a decent running back. While the offensive line needs to be shored up, the reality is that the biggest hole on the team is centered under center.
While the Jets have Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith (oh, and Matt Simms), Fitzpatrick isn’t a long term solution and so far Geno Smith isn’t looking like one either. Maybe Smith learns to play well consistently for more than the last three or four games in a season, but it hasn’t looked promising yet.
And the Jets really can’t sit there waiting for it. While not an ancient team, there are some key pieces who are aging. If you are paying Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Marshall oodles of cash, you want to use them to get into the playoffs (and beyond) before they are done. Cromartie is definitely entering the final years of his career and while Revis and Marshall still have plenty left in the tank, we have seen some decline from them.
The Jet’s’ offseason moves have, at least to me, smacked of a team not rebuilding so much as priming the pump for a run into the playoffs. Nothing they’ve done says to me ‘hey let’s draft a rookie quarterback who needs work’ in the way Marcus Mariota does.
And I like Mariota, but I don’t expect him to step into an offense and just make the ball sing. Further, he is a quarterback who will do better in a system built around him, rather than forcing him into a ready-made system. Maybe the Jets can adapt their offense, or maybe they would shoehorn Mariota in, but ultimately it seems to me they are closer to a traditional offense than not.
Rivers could step right in and, frankly, the Jets offensive line is already good enough to be a huge upgrade from San Diego’s. One of the things which has been a huge issue for Rivers has been pressure from the defense—and the Jets can give him more time in the pocket.
Especially if they were to somehow keep the No. 6 pick and load up on a tackle.
The Jets would be in tremendous shape if they picked up Rivers and should be on the phone now.
Next: Tennessee Titans