NY Jets expected to target Jacoby Brissett as a backup QB option

The NY Jets have already made it pretty clear that they plan to sign a veteran backup quarterback this offseason. Jacoby Brissett figures to be near the top of their list of potential targets.

General manager Joe Douglas met with reporters for his end-of-the-season interview last week, and he insisted there was a "high probability" that the Jets would sign a veteran QB this offseason. The usually tight-lipped Douglas was notably definitive about that statement.

It's become evident that the Jets regret their decision to leave Zach Wilson as their primary QB2 entering the 2023 season. They intend to right their wrongs this time around and bring in a more experienced and capable backup.

Brissett checks each of those boxes. The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported last week that Brissett is expected to be "a potential target" for the Jets. Other possible candidates mentioned include Gardner Minshew, Ryan Tannehill, and Jimmy Garoppolo, although Brissett stands out as perhaps the most likely and appealing option.

The NY Jets should absolutely target Jacoby Brissett in free agency

Brissett is in the top tier of backup quarterbacks in the NFL, so much so that he likely starts on a handful of rosters. The former third-round pick has started 48 games over eight seasons in the NFL and has found considerable success in recent years.

Brissett filled in as the Cleveland Browns' starter in 2022, starting 11 games and playing some of the best football of his career. He finished the season with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing 64 percent of his passes and averaging a healthy 7.0 yards per attempt.

The Jets saw firsthand how effective Brissett could be when he helped engineer a second-half comeback in the team's narrow Christmas Eve victory over the Washington Commanders this past season.

Brissett was inserted in place of the struggling Sam Howell, and he proceeded to complete 8-of-10 passes for 100 yards in a touchdown. He was expected to take over as Washington's starter for the remainder of the season before a hamstring injury suffered in practice sidelined him.

Brissett has no obvious ties to the Jets coaching staff, unlike other potential targets like Tannehill and Garoppolo (if they're released), but he presents one of the most appealing options to upgrade at QB2 this offseason.

He might not come cheap, however, as the Commanders signed Brissett to a one-year, $8 million contract last offseason. Douglas hasn't shown a willingness to invest in the backup quarterback position in the past, but he might not have a choice this year.

The 2023 season is playoffs-or-bust for Douglas and the entire Jets organization. If Rodgers is forced to miss a handful of games, they need a player they can trust to come in and hold down the fort. They need someone who can keep their season alive.

Zach Wilson isn't that player. Neither is Trevor Siemian. Tim Boyle definitely isn't that guy. Brissett, however, should be near the top of the Jets' list of offseason targets.