Jets GM Mike Maccagnan open to carrying just two quarterbacks
Jets quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold participate in a drill as quarterback Josh McCown watches during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on Monday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said he’d be open to the idea of carrying only two quarterbacks for the duration of the season, which means Teddy Bridgewater could very well be on the trading block.
“We can very easily keep three quarterbacks and, if something were to arise, we can go to two,” Maccagnan told WFAN’s Boomer & Gio. “In terms of saying, hey, we’re going to keep two or keep three, there’s nothing to stop us from keeping three. There’s nothing to stop us from keeping two. We feel very good about that quarterback room.”
Although Maccagnan didn’t mention Bridgewater by name, he’s really the only reasonable option. Sam Darnold is untouchable and Josh McCown is 39 and sitting on a $10-million salary for this year. Bridgewater is 25, has shown he isn’t hampered by the knee injury that sidelined him for almost two full seasons, and is signed only through this season.
In two preseason games, Bridgewater is 17-for-23 for 212 yards. He’s thrown two touchdown passes and an interception and has been impressive, but he hasn’t eclipsed Darnold’s star power.
Kicker conundrum
Todd Bowles said the Jets might have to look for a kicker outside their current roster. Five-year veteran Cairo Santos is sidelined with a groin injury and Taylor Bertolet — who went undrafted in 2016 — currently is the Jets’ primary kicker, though that might change.
If Santos can’t get in before the season begins, Bowles said “it’s possible” their starting kicker will be someone else entirely.
“Can’t kick sight unseen,” Bowles said of Santos. “The other guy has been doing a good job, so we’ll see.”
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
