Local rival could become ideal NY Jets backup QB due to playmaking ability

The NY Jets need to address the offensive line, but Joe Douglas' top priority should be getting a genuine veteran backup quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers. Coming off an Achilles injury at 40 years old, Rodgers is by no means a lock to play the entire 17-game season.

The Jets' plan of sticking with Zach Wilson led them to completely throw away the 2023 season, along with a clown car of replacements like Trevor Siemian (despite the Week 18 win) and Tim Boyle. Luckily for Joe Douglas, there are a dozen experienced names out there who can play better offensive football.

The New York Giants saw Tyrod Taylor come in and put out one of the many fires that raged alongside the Jets' equally ferocious ones at MetLife Stadium, as his calm, cool hand helped New York look like a real NFL offense. Could he become the next player to swap Giant blue for Jets green?

NFL.com's Nick Shook talked up the idea of Taylor being a fit in New York, as he showed during his Giants tenure that he still has enough gas left in the tank to keep the offense rolling if Rodgers needs to miss a game or two. In a market that will be full of possible options, Taylor brings experience and athleticism.

Could NY Jets sign former Giants QB Tyrod Taylor?

The Giants went 2-3 in Taylor's starts this season. One of them was their Jets defeat in which he got hurt during the second quarter, one was a controversial loss against a good Bills team on the road where New York was one yard short of a game-winning TD, and the last was a one-point loss against a playoff Rams team.

The accuracy (64% completion), playmaking (197 rushing yards in just five starts), and turnover avoidance (3 INTs on 180 passes) are all still there. With the Jets' offensive line still likely a question mark going into the season despite some expected improvements, getting someone more mobile than Siemian should be expected.

Taylor may not have the rocket arm that Rodgers has, but Nathaniel Hackett seemed wholly uninterested in stretching the field once No. 8 went down. At least Taylor brings some veteran confidence and quick decision-making to the table that Wilson and others did not.

In the ideal situation, whoever is the backup never takes a snap outside of garbage time. However, this team needs to prepare for things going wrong, and Taylor is one heck of an insurance plan.