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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, January 16, 2025

Zach Drucker | The Loser

This past weekend, the New York Jets made two decisive moves in one swift action. Jets management extended much maligned starting quarterback Mark Sanchez's contract, solidifying Sanchez's role at the helm of the organization. But this move had a reverberating upshot, since it effectively removed the Jets from the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

So did the Jets make the right decision? The answer, from this lifelong Jets fan's perspective, is yes and no.

On the bright side, the Jets showed uncharacteristic restraint. Recently, Jets management has attempted to resurrect the franchise by signing big name players to bloated contracts. They doled out millions to Ty Law, Braylon Edwards, LaDainian Tomlinson and, most recently, PlaxicoBurress. Most of these investments did not pan out, as these players did not produce as expected and the Jets still have not made it to their ultimate destination, the Super Bowl, since 1969.

Many presumed the Jets would be interested in signing Manning, even before the Indianapolis Colts and Manning officially severed their ties. General manager Mike Tannenbaum confirmed these suspicions, stating, "When a first-ballot, Hall of Fame quarterback becomes available, you look into it."

Had the Jets outbid the other Manning suitors, they would have sunk an enormous amount of money into one player, limiting their salary cap flexibility and constricting future contract negotiations or free agent additions.

Not to mention, the mere prospect of a Manning signing evoked painful memories of Brett Favre's one-year stint in Jets green. Though Favre's New York woes may have come from a shoulder injury — after all, he led the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship game the next year — Jets fans hold crippling grudges that would have made a Manning acquisition difficult to swallow.

When a team signs a veteran quarterback to be the starter, that team essentially declares that it has the talent to win a Super Bowl. Rather than build for the future, that franchise vows to strive for a ring in the next few years, until they are beheaded by the quarterback's impending retirement. In the case of Favre, Gang Green was also looking for a way to breathe new life into an atrophied franchise.

Yet had the Jets vied for Manning, their Super Bowl aspirations would have been unreasonable. Frankly, the Jets do not have the offensive firepower to compete because of the underdevelopment of Shonn Greene, the demise of Santonio Holmes and Burress and Sanchez's inconsistency. Plus, Ryan's defense was exposed last season as trigger-happy blitzers who lacked tackling ability and broke down in coverage — aside from Revis Island, of course. Moreover, if Peyton played with the Jets, he would be the second best Manning in the Big Apple; Eli could slip both of his rings onto his thumb and index finger in the shape of a sardonic "L."

Many storied quarterbacks have seen success after migrating to a new franchise. Favre had his run with the Vikings, and Joe Montana led the Kansas City Chiefs to an AFC Championship appearance as a 38-year old in the ‘93 playoffs. Judging by Manning's age, (he turns 36 later this month), durability (he had never missed a game prior to 2011) and post-neck injury progress, do not expect this perennial Pro-Bowler to fizzle out like Johnny Unitas of the San Diego Chargers or Joe Namath of the Los Angeles Rams. No, this old show dog still has some tricks, and he will be ready to play football come July training camp.

Though the Jets were wise to resist the temptation of a Manning pursuit, they clearly overpaid Sanchez, whose regression through three seasons has been debilitating.

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Zach Drucker is a senior majoring in international relations and Spanish. He can be reached at zachary.drucker@tufts.edu.