Jets urged to consider Andy Dalton as solution to growing Cade Klubnik problem

As offseason hype rapidly mounted about Cade Klubnik potentially earning the New York Jets’ backup quarterback job, the common counter was the inherent danger of giving that role to a fourth-round rookie.

That talk temporarily died down, especially when Klubnik got off to a strong start in training camp. But a series of inconsistent practices and turnovers has raised questions regarding whether the Jets are better off having Bailey Zappe sit behind Geno Smith.

ESPN New York’s Jake Asman had a different name in mind, suggesting that the Jets try trading for Eagles backup Andy Dalton. Asman proposed that such a move would only cost Jets general manager Darren Mougey a seventh-round pick. 

“Maybe he’s Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins or Dak Prescott,” Asman said, “or maybe he’s James Morgan, or Bryce Petty, or Christian Hackenberg, or any of the other stiffs that the Jets have drafted in their history.”

Ouch. You never want your quarterback to be mentioned in the same sentence as Hackenberg unless they have similar backgrounds or they like the same kind of toppings on their pizza. (Extra cheese is always a win, something that Hackenberg never accomplished in the NFL.)

Should the New York Jets try to trade for Andy Dalton?

We’ve already seen Dalton move once this offseason, as the Eagles acquired him from Carolina for a seventh-round pick in March. He has a $1.5 million base salary, and his contract automatically voids after the season. 

By now, you know Dalton’s story. After nearly a decade as the Bengals’ starting quarterback, he’s since bounced around the league as a spot starter and reliable backup. He played in four games and started one for the Panthers last season.

The one thing working in Dalton’s favor, funnily enough, is his age. He turns 39 in October and is among the league’s oldest players regardless of position. Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, and Josh Johnson are the only active quarterbacks older than Dalton, a 2011 second-round pick and three-time Pro Bowler.

The downside of trading for Dalton, though, is giving up a draft pick for a quarterback of his age. We’d be having a far different conversation if he were a free agent. At that point, you’re accepting the risk of having someone that old on your roster. 

Philadelphia got away with trading for Dalton because the Eagles have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. The Jets are chasing their first winning season in over a decade. We shouldn’t need to explain the differences that they’d naturally have regarding personnel and roster construction.

Dalton is a safer backup option than Klubnik or Zappe, but he’s not worth trading for, at least not with the current quarterback situation. If any of the three quarterbacks were to get hurt, that’s when you can start exploring other options, even if Dalton still wouldn’t be worth it for a draft pick.

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