NY Jets finally acquire a veteran QB in Joe Flacco trade

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Joe Flacco / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets have finally landed their veteran quarterback, albeit not in the circumstances that most would have hoped. Joe Flacco is on his way back to New York.

As first reported by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Jets are sending a conditional 2022 sixth-round pick in exchange for the veteran Flacco. That pick could become the team's latest fifth-rounder if play-time incentives are met.

With rookie quarterback Zach Wilson sidelined for the next 2-4 weeks with a PCL sprain, the Jets needed to make a move at the quarterback position.

Flacco is an unexpected addition, although he should serve as the veteran mentor many have been hoping the team would add. The former Super Bowl MVP joins a QB room featuring Mike White and Josh Johnson.

Joe Flacco is the veteran backup quarterback many NY Jets fans have been asking for

It's unlikely that Flacco will be able to step into a starting role immediately, or if he'll be asked to at all. He did spend the 2020 season with the Jets starting four games in place of injured starter Sam Darnold.

However, that was under a different head coach in a different offensive system. It'll take some time for him to get up to speed.

But the Jets needed to make a quarterback addition with Wilson out. Flacco is that addition.

The 36-year-old signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract to join the Eagles this past March and had been serving as the primary backup to starter Jalen Hurts.

But with Gardner Minshew also on the roster, the Eagles felt comfortable moving Flacco. The Jets had a need and general manager Joe Douglas managed to strike a deal with his former team.

The Jets finally have an experienced veteran in their quarterback room. Although few probably expected that veteran to be the same one they had last year.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.