The New York Jets Must Consider Keeping Michael Vick Beyond 2014

Michael Vick has been an enigma. He was brought in during the off-season, presumably for a quarterback competition that never actually took place. There was debate among Jets fans as to whether or not Vick was the guy for this team. Would he be the veteran backup that Geno Smith needed, or would he gripe about his role, and cause a problem in the Jets locker room?

I was not happy about it when it happened, but to his credit, Michael Vick has been the model of what one would expect from a veteran quarterback. When Geno Smith was in the lineup, Michael Vick was a support system for his young teammate. Vick was ready to play, other than the Chargers game, but otherwise ready and willing to help any way he could.

Now, as the starter, Vick has injected life back into the New York Jets offense. He is 1-1 as a starter so far, and there is a clear difference between the offense pre-Vick and with Vick. The next six games are going to be crucial. If Vick can show that he can still win games down the stretch, the Jets must seriously consider bringing him back.

The Jets, like it or not, will be looking at a quarterback early in the 2015 NFL draft. It might be Marcus Mariota, it might be Jameis Winston, or it might be another prospect. Clearly, Geno Smith has lost favor with the Jets, and there is a decent possibility that he won’t be back. Matt Simms has never gotten a true opportunity to start, which tells you all that you need to know about the organization’s belief in him.

With a new quarterback in the fold, the Jets will be in the same spot that they were in the past, needing a veteran quarterback to teach their potential franchise quarterback. We will see a lot of talk about available quarterbacks, with Jay Cutler near the top of that list. The trouble is, just about any quarterback that is brought in will be a new commodity in New York. We don’t know if Jay Cutler will be able to get it done in New York, for example. If Michael Vick proves that he can win, why not let him do it again here in NY, while mentoring a young quarterback.

Nov 2, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick (1) throws a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

A productive Michael Vick gives the Jets credibility at the quarterback position. If we hadn’t noticed, the Jets have been lacking in that area in recent years. OK, the Jets have been lacking in this area for quite some time. Other than for brief moments, the Jets have been unable to bring a quarterback into the fold that can win consistently, basically rendering the position a joke for years.

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Michael Vick, whether you like him or not, has won in this league for many years. He has improved as a passer through the years, and we all know that Vick can get the job done with his legs. If Vick can show the organization that he can win games, why not keep him around and let him do so in 2015, allowing Geno Smith, or whomever replaces him, to learn valuable information by watching him play? It makes sense to me.

Finally, Vick has also proven that he is a good mentor. He supports younger players, and doesn’t complain about his role while they are playing. That is exactly what the Jets will need going forward. Why allow Vick to stay, since they already know that he fits the bill?

I was wrong about Michael Vick. I thought he was going to cause trouble, he has done anything but. If he proves he can win games as well, the Jets should keep Vick around to do so in 2015.