Making the case against Matthew Stafford in 2018

Quarterback Matthew Stafford is set to hit free agency in 2018 and it would make zero sense for the New York Jets to try and acquire him.

If things don’t get fixed in the Motor City between the Detroit Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford on a new contract extension, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2018. It’s hard to tell how things will pan out as both sides have yet to agree at this point in time but what happens if the Lions let him walk next offseason?

First off, it’s highly doubtful considering he’s been playing exceptionally well over the past few years and is their franchise quarterback. Secondly, if by some miracle he hits free agency next year, he’s going to come with a hefty price tag. Finally, he’ll more than likely want to land on a team that’s making a serious push towards going deep in the NFL Playoffs. On all accounts, the New York Jets are set to have a plethora of salary cap space next year heading into free agency thanks to purging their roster of overpaid and unproductive veterans.

They’ll have plenty of money to spend and well, it’s no secret that the Jets haven’t had an established franchise quarterback in decades. Even at this very moment, it’s still undetermined if their young quarterbacks in Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg will even be worth keeping around over the next few years.

More from Jets News

• NY Jets should target TE Hunter Henry in free agency
• NY Jets: Why the team should target cornerback Shaquill Griffin
• NY Jets reportedly non-tendering linebacker Harvey Langi
• NY Jets: Why the team should not cut Jamison Crowder
• NY Jets should try to sign Kenny Golladay in free agency

Both have struggled immensely this offseason which leaves the Jets no choice but to start the regular season with Josh McCown under center.

That’s right, the same quarterback that has won just five football games in the past four years. Once this abysmal season is over, the Jets can then continue rebuilding the right way but make no mistake about it, they shouldn’t waste their money on Stafford.

In the grand scheme of things, the Jets are nowhere near being a playoff team, not even come next season. They still have many glaring holes on the roster to address, such as their offensive line, wide receiver, defensive secondary, and everything else in between. To throw all their saved money just to land a quarterback like Stafford would do nothing but once again go back to the “Same Old Jets” mantra that has plagued this team for years.

You can’t bring in a high-priced veteran quarterback to be a band-aid and hope everything works out fine in a short window before their eventual decline hits. Who will protect Stafford in the pocket? What premier wide receiver will be his go-to option in the red zone? What will he truly accomplish with such lackluster talent around him?

If general manager Mike Maccagnan is smart, he will continue rebuilding the Jets the right way through the NFL Draft and making smart free agent acquisitions. If it’s a lesson the Jets have learned over the years, a successful veteran quarterback with the kind of caliber of Stafford won’t do much of anything on a team that still needs more impactful and consistent stars for it to all come together.

Must Read: Breaking down overall team rating of the Jets in Madden

Overall, the Jets have bigger needs than just quarterback and someone like Stafford isn’t going to have what it takes to come in and lead this team to a Super Bowl championship if such an acquisition ever became reality. The Jets aren’t in any “win-now” mode and won’t be for at least another two to three years. If anything, they should continue drafting players until they have a competitive and above all else, a complete roster that’s ready to contend.

Follow The Jet Press on Twitter and on Facebook. We have open Contributor positions available for those interested in writing about the Jets and/or fantasy football. Fill out a Writer’s Application for our site to join the team!