NY Jets prove they learned their lesson with Tyrod Taylor signing

NY Jets owner Woody Johnson made his thoughts on his team's backup quarterback position very clear when speaking to reporters last month. A little over 30 days later, the Jets fulfilled his wishes, signing veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor on the first day of free agency.

Johnson had remarked to reporters that his team needed a backup quarterback. He insisted that the Jets "didn't have [one]" last season — a brutal shot at Zach Wilson and the Jets' decision-makers.

Now, they have one. Taylor and the Jets agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth a maximum of $18 million on Monday, mere minutes before the end of the first day of the legal tampering period.

The 13-year NFL veteran brings valuable experience and competence behind Aaron Rodgers, and he's proof that the Jets have finally learned their lesson when it comes to the backup quarterback position.

Tyrod Taylor is the ideal QB2 for the NY Jets

The Jets have consistently undervalued the backup quarterback position under Joe Douglas. It's easy to point to last season's debacle as evidence, but truth be told, this has been a problem for years now.

It wasn't very long ago that the Jets entered the 2021 season without a single quarterback on their roster who had ever even attempted a pass in the NFL. Of course, former practice squadder Mike White would develop into a quality backup, but the Jets refused to invest in the position.

That was despite the fact that the Jets had a rookie second-overall pick in Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback. Logic would dictate that the Jets should have added a capable veteran to the QB room, at the very least to take some pressure off Wilson. They didn't see the need, however.

Fast forward to the 2023 season, and despite Wilson being benched on multiple occasions the previous season (once for CFL quarterback Chris Streveler), the Jets went into the year with him as their primary backup QB.

The Jets expected 2023 to be a redshirt season for Wilson, but that doesn't really work for backup quarterbacks in the NFL. If you're a QB2, there's a good chance you're going to play at some point.

Of course, Rodgers would tear his Achilles just four plays into his Jets career, forcing Wilson back into the starting lineup. Even with Wilson's struggles, the Jets saw no need to add a capable veteran to the room, settling for Bengals castoff Trevor Siemian and the lowly Tim Boyle instead.

The Taylor signing is evidence that the Jets finally learned their lesson. Having a capable backup quarterback is one of the most important parts of roster construction in the NFL.

If Rodgers is forced to miss the entire season again, the Jets are likely out of luck regardless of who their backup QB is. That's not the point, though. What if Rodgers misses a handful of games? The Jets needed a backup quarterback who could hold down the fort and keep the team afloat.

That's Tyrod Taylor.

With a career record of 28-28-1, Taylor has settled into a nice career as a fringe starter/bridge QB/high-end backup quarterback since leaving the Buffalo Bills in 2018. He is exactly what the Jets needed, especially with Rodgers coming off a major injury.

The Jets can feel good about their quarterback room — all of it — for the first time in recent memory. Joe Douglas finally learned his lesson.