Starting quarterback isn’t the problem in 2017

By Michael Pallas | Aug 29, 2017

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 26: Elijah McGuire #35 of the New York Jets is unable to make the two point conversion as Robert Thomas #99 of the New York Giants defends in the fourth quarter during a preseason game on August 26, 2017 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

It really doesn’t matter who the New York Jets make their quarterback because their offensive line is terrible.

The New York Jets could stick any of the all-time great quarterbacks behind their offensive line, and he’d look like a mere mortal. The offensive line needs to be fixed before the Jets even consider sticking a franchise quarterback back there.

A season doesn’t go by without Troy Aikman mentioning his offensive linemen during a Fox NFL broadcast. Why? He knows they were just as important to the success of the Dallas Cowboys as he, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin were.

When the Jets were good in the late 90s, and then again early in the Rex Ryan regime, they were good on the offensive line. The 1998 team that went to the AFC Championship Game had Jumbo Elliott at left tackle and Kevin Mawae at center. The 2009-10 teams that went to consecutive AFC Championship Games had D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold at those positions.

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When the top players for the New York Giants were in against the Jets on Saturday, the Giants sacked Christian Hackenberg three times, had a tackle for loss which resulted in a safety, and a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Say what you will about Hackenberg, but the offensive line didn’t do him any favors Saturday night. They’re just not good enough to compete against the big boys.

The Jets are trying to mix and match to find the right combination, but this group just isn’t good enough. The Jets have been in search for a franchise quarterback for decades. They’ve passed on the likes of Dan Marino and Tom Brady in the NFL Draft, but in this instance, they shouldn’t be focused on the quarterback position.

Starting Josh McCown Week 1 won’t help the growth of this team because the offensive line is so bad. You can put a veteran behind that line and stunt the growth of the young quarterback if you want to, but that won’t solve the greater problem.

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