Miami quarterback Cam Ward is the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in an NFL draft class where the New York Jets are situated at No. 7. But that isn’t stopping him from hoping he gets the chance to be the star-crossed organization’s final piece.
Speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Friday morning, Ward praised the Jets’ roster and said he hopes to be a part of the team.
“I think the Jets are not too far off, maybe a couple pieces, and I’m just hoping that I can be one of them,” said the 22-year-old signal-caller.
Ward told reporters that he will not throw at the combine, saying that his tape speaks for itself and he will throw at his pro day.
Ward’s positive comments about the Jets come at a fascinating juncture in the NFL’s quarterback carousel. While it currently seems unlikely that New York will have a chance to land the touted quarterback prospect, recent events around the league could create a golden opportunity for the Jets to steal him.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has attracted trade interest from the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Stafford will meet with the Rams on Friday regarding his future. Russini adds that the Raiders and Giants have discussed a two-year contract for Stafford that would include $90-100 million guaranteed.
How does this affect Ward and the Jets? Well, the Giants (No. 3) and Raiders (No. 6) both sit ahead of the Jets in the draft order and desperately need a quarterback. If one of them lands Stafford, it will remove a QB-needy team from the top six, pushing the Jets one spot higher in the list of QB-needy teams on the draft board.
With the Titans (No. 1) seemingly unenthused by the QB options, a Stafford trade could mean that with just one non-QB selection between the Browns (No. 2) and the team that does not land Stafford, the Jets might become the next QB-needy team on the board with either Ward or Shedeur Sanders still available. Given the Giants’ rumored preference for Sanders, it’s plausible that if Las Vegas is the team that lands Stafford, Ward could slip to the Jets if he makes it past the top two.
At that point, New York might need to trade up to land Ward, as QB-needy teams below them on the board could try to jump them for the Miami superstar. Still, if the Giants or Raiders nail down their quarterback position before the draft, it’s one less team for the Jets to compete against in the pursuit of a quarterback.
It’s anybody’s guess as to what will happen next, but Ward seems excited by the idea of being a Jet. If the game of quarterback musical chairs continues on its current trajectory, Ward landing in Florham Park could become a much more feasible possibility than it currently seems.
