Schefter: Expect Jets to be "in play" for Michael Vick
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| Vick could be wearing a different shade of green next season |
"I don't expect Michael Vick to be back in Philadelphia. And then he's gonna have to decide what's the best circumstance for him moving forward. I think the Jets will be in play. I definitely think the Jets will have some level of interest in Michael Vick. Definitely."
Schefter also added that he believes the Jets are more interested in Vick than Bears free agent Josh McCown. He tweeted out later that day the Bucs could be in play as well.
Two teams likely to have some level of interest in Eagles free-agent-to-be QB Michael Vick: Buccaneers and Jets.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 2, 2014
It's well known around the league that Vick still intends to be a starter. Many around the league believe he's not interested in having to compete for a starting role, which would initially rule out both the Jets and Bucs. However, it's hard to imagine that there's a team in the league that would sign the oft-injured, 34 year old Vick and immediately hand him the unquestioned starting job. Once Vick realizes this, he'll have to choice the best opportunity for himself, and the Jets and Bucs both are intriguing possibilities.The Jets, for as fun as they are to laugh at, aren't as far away from playoff contention as you think. They already boast one of the league's best defenses, buoyed by a monstrous defensive line, and they could get even better if top ten pick Dee Milliner can carry over his improved late rookie-season shutdown play into 2014.
Their offense...well, their offense ranged from mediocre to avert-your-eyes bad last season. Mark Sanchez's season ending shoulder injury forced the team to throw quarterback Geno Smith to the lions as a rookie. He predictably struggled through a very tough rookie season, albeit with a few promising flashes thrown in towards the end of the year. Of course, he wasn't helped by a complete dearth of playmakers around him, as the Jets may have had the most toothless group of skill players in the entire league.
However, with a defense that good, the Jets could easily return to the playoffs simply with a jump from awful to merely competent offense. They have the resources to greatly improve their offensive weaponry, boasting the 18th pick in a draft loaded with first round talent at receiver AND possibly up to $49.6 million in cap space after the expected cuts of Antonio Cromartie, Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes.
A good, aggressive offseason from GM John Izdik could be enough to intrigue Vick. Playing in New York's media market could also be appealing to Vick, who is likely looking at his last chance for NFL relevancy. Bringing an improved Jets team to the playoffs could be a real shot in the arm to Vick's stagnating NFL career.
Signing a lightning rod like Vick would also be the kind of splashy attention-grabbing move that has defined the Woody Johnson/Rex Ryan era. While it would risk impeding Smith's development, Vick would likely give the Jets the better chance to win now, while also ensuring that the team would remain an ESPN staple regardless of their win-loss record. There's also some overlap between Smith and Vick's game, meaning either one should be able to seamlessly fit into the same style of offense
Of course, this being the Jets, there's also the delicious possibility that they sign Vick only to see their aging offensive line let him get beat up, leading to a repeat of 2012's awesome turnover-fest for the ages while stunting the growth of their quarterback of the future in the process.
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Either way, I actually hope the Jets do sign Vick. As a Patriots fan, football is far more interesting when the hated Jets are actually good enough to be a legitimate rival. Signing Vick could help them jump to playoff contention, while also carrying a high risk of hilariously blowing up in their faces. No matter how this turns out, you know you'll be entertained.
Furthermore, as a dog lover, the Jets adding Vick would give my personal hatred of the Jets a jolt. Maybe they can sign Golden Tate too, just to further position themselves as the NFL's best WWE-style heel.
If that's not enough to want this to happen, imagine the possibility of Marcus Vick taking to twitter to beef with Rex Ryan. Yup, you're sold on this idea now.
