Perhaps the New York Jets are more than a quarterback away
One of the most common statements made by New York Jets fans over the past few months has been that the team is just “a quarterback away” from Super Bowl contention.
In 2022, the Jets had an elite defense and an offense featuring rising stars like Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Alijah Vera-Tucker. Unfortunately, the Jets’ quarterbacks failed to elevate the team once Hall and Vera-Tucker got hurt, and New York lost its final six games.
As the team heads into 2023 with a strong defense and exciting core pieces on offense, the possibility of adding a four-time MVP quarterback in Aaron Rodgers has Jets fans dreaming of their first Super Bowl in over 50 years.
But considering Rodgers has only made it to one Super Bowl himself, it’s clear it takes more than an elite quarterback to win championships.
So what does it take?
What does it take to win a Super Bowl?
NFL Network analysts Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah established a basic list of requirements for a Super Bowl contender back in 2019. Brooks hypothesized that the “top teams have ‘blues’ (top-10 players) and other steady performers” in the following areas:
- 1 franchise quarterback
- 3 offensive linemen
- 3 offensive playmakers
- 2 pass rushers
- 3 defensive playmakers
Not every Super Bowl team fits the criteria exactly, but it is an excellent template, as shown by each team from Super Bowl LVIII:
1 franchise quarterback
- Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
- Eagles: Jalen Hurts
3 offensive linemen
- Chiefs: Orlando Brown, Creed Humphrey, Joe Thuney
- Eagles: Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce, Jordan Mailata
3 offensive playmakers
- Chiefs: Travis Kelce, Juju Smith-Schuster, Isiah Pacheco
- Eagles: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert
2 pass rushers
- Chiefs: Chris Jones, Frank Clark
- Eagles: Haason Reddick, Javon Hargrave, (Fletcher Cox)
3 defensive playmakers
- Chiefs: Nick Bolton, L’Jarius Sneed, Juan Thornhill
- Eagles: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, T.J. Edwards
While Kansas City and Philadelphia were led by the MVP and the MVP runner-up at quarterback, both teams also boasted strong rosters.
The Eagles’ roster was arguably the best in the NFL with stars at key positions and quality players everywhere. Meanwhile, Mahomes’ talent hid some of the Chiefs’ weaknesses at the offensive and defensive playmaker positions, but Kansas City did have elite talent at the offensive line and pass-rusher spots.
So where do the Jets stand heading into the 2023 offseason?
1 franchise quarterback
- To Be Decided
3 offensive linemen
- Alijah Vera-Tucker
3 offensive playmakers
- Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Elijah Moore/Tyler Conklin
2 pass rushers
- Quinnen Williams, John Franklin-Myers
3 defensive playmakers
- Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed, C.J. Mosley
The Jets are close, but the lack of a franchise quarterback and the holes on the offensive line are why they weren’t even a playoff team in 2022.
Thankfully, the Jets have the potential to fill these holes this off-season.
New York can solve its quarterback spot by adding either Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr. Acquiring one of those quarterbacks and then heavily investing in the offensive line via the draft and free agency could get this team to true contender status.
The defense just needs to re-sign/tender Bryce Huff and upgrade the free safety position to stay elite. But they seem to already meet the requirements for the pass-rusher and defensive playmaker categories, led by two first-team All-Pros in Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner.
The Jets need a perfect offseason to be a Championship team
With the opportunity to add an elite quarterback to a roster that has plenty of talent, the Jets feel closer to a championship than ever. Their defense just had a dominant season on the back of young players and the offense has several playmakers.
After missing the playoffs in 12 consecutive seasons, the Jets are ready to flip the script. We’ve recently seen teams like the Buccaneers and Rams jump to championship-caliber status after making a big splash at quarterback.
But it takes more than one piece. The Jets’ roster still lacks the offensive talent to compete with the best teams in the NFL. It will be difficult to navigate a quarterback trade and then plug their remaining holes with their cap situation.
Time is quickly running out for the Jets’ current regime. If they fail to capitalize on their current roster, Jets ownership may try to find someone else who will.
