Jets mailbag: Quarterbacks in the draft, Quincy Enunwa and more

Welcome to the Jets’ offseason. So many questions, not a lot of answers. Well, at least right now. Let’s start the offseason with our first Jets’ mailbag as we answer the five best questions we received.

@MartyLevine: Which QBs, if available, are worth taking at #6 and who would you stay away from? And why?

I think Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen won’t be available at No. 6, unless you want to move up to No. 1 or No. 2. It’s doubtful the Browns or Giants will trade down with the Jets, especially the Giants. I do believe Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield will be around at No. 6. If you select Allen, you might have to sit him a year because he’s still a little raw. Jackson might be ready in a different type of offense. Not sure if Jackson can run the West Coast offense, at least in his rookie season, and you need a better offensive line than you have now to protect him. I’ve seen Mayfield play four times and I don’t believe he can make all the throws necessary to play in the NFL. The Senior Bowl, combine and his pro day will tell a lot about him on the field. I’m not even worried about his height. If I stayed away from any of the top college quarterbacks, it would be Mayfield. He’s got so much baggage on and off the field that coming to New York wouldn’t curtail any potential drama from him.

@barrypopularity: If Morton leaves, any chances Bowles dials up Bruce Arians for OC?

The Raiders were interested in hiring John Morton, the Jets’ offensive coordinator, for some sort of role in their offense. I’ve been told that’s not happening now. I doubt Arians would come out of retirement for Bowles. Yes, they have a close relationship, but if the Jets move on from Morton, quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates would be the offensive coordinator/play caller. Bates has called plays before, and if the Jets keep Christian Hackenberg in 2018, which is expected, he’s got another year to build chemistry with him.

@oaffit: Take a stab at Quincy stats next year?

Well, let’s look at 2016. Quincy Enunwa caught 58 passes for 857 yards with four touchdowns. It was a strong season, but he didn’t play in 2017 because of neck surgery. The Jets missed him, but they got a solid veteran possession receiver by trading for Jermaine Kearse. Enunwa should thrive in the West Coast offense, and I project 60-75 catches for him in 2018. The yards are difficult to measure because I’m not sure who the starting quarterback is going to be.

@bigdiesel33: How does the team like Adams and Maye (look) for the future? And what are the chances (I assume slim) that Morris Claiborne is kept?

As the starting safeties, Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye give the Jets a strong base to work from defensively. Nothing against defensive end Leonard Williams, another young player, but Maye and Adams are the two best playmakers on the defense. I do believe the Jets want Claiborne to return. He played on a one-year deal with a base salary of $2.5 million with a $2 million signing bonus. Claiborne covered the opponent’s best receiver at times and played through a sore foot the last month and half of the season. I wouldn’t give Claiborne a big contract, but a two-year deal should work.

@TitoPastrano: Are they gonna cut Matt Forte??

Probably. Forte, 32, understands his career might be coming to a close and said as much toward the end of 2017. Forte is scheduled to make $3 million in base salary in 2018 and if the Jets release him they save $3 million in cap space with $1 million in dead money. Forte was a good locker room player for the Jets in 2017, but it’s clear, health (swelling in right knee) and production (career-low 381 rushing yards) just doesn’t warrant a return.