EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:1. QB or not to QB? Everybody knows the quarterback narrative surrounding the Jets and how they're looking toward the talent-rich 2027 draft to potentially find their long-term answer.But what if they can find him sooner?Welcome to the Brendan Sorsby quandary and the supplemental draft saga.By now, you probably know the particulars: Sorsby is a talented, but controversial, prospect because he admitted to placing bets on a variety of sports and completed in-patient rehab for a gambling addiction. After legal wrangling and blowback around his eligibility, he decided to leave Texas Tech and applied for a supplemental draft. If the NFL approves his application, the draft would be held in about a month.For a handful of quarterback-needy teams, including the Jets' pursuit of a long-term solution, the decision on whether to draft him would be a multi-layered, risk-reward choice. Would he be worth a draft choice? If so, how high?Media speculation suggests it would take a second-round pick to secure Sorsby in the supplemental draft. The league would have a weighted lottery to determine the draft order. The team that is awarded the player forfeits its pick in the equivalent round of next year's draft.The Jets own three first-round picks in the 2027 draft. It would be an absolute coup if they could find their quarterback this summer (Sorsby) without having to sacrifice any of those first-rounders. It would be like hitting the fast-forward button on the rebuilding process. If you don't have a franchise quarterback, take as many swings as you can until you find the guy. Or so the theory goes.Ah, but there's risk and uncertainty.Sorsby could face an immediate suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy; the prospect of discipline could be a deal-breaker for some teams. The team that picks him also might have to deal with a public relations fallout. Teams sometimes are willing to overlook off-the-field issues -- "talent trumps character," the saying goes -- but gambling is different because it's perceived as taboo by the NFL.The Jets already have a good feel for Sorsby's talent because of their fall scouting. He played well for Cincinnati, throwing for 2,800 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for nine touchdowns in 2025.If there is a supplemental draft, general manager Darren Mougey and the scouting department will continue with their due diligence, which might mean attending his pro day (July 10) and/or bringing him to their facility for a visit. If there's interest, he will require thorough vetting. Know this: The Mougey/Aaron Glenn regime has steered clear of players with character concerns.Some evaluators consider Sorsby a first-round talent. Another disagreed, saying, "If he's a clear-cut first-rounder, why didn't he come out [in the April draft]?"Clearly, this isn't a routine player evaluation. One person close to the situation doubted the Jets' interest, suggesting "they don't want to deal with it." Glenn deflected a question about potential interest in Sorsby."I'm focused on the guys that we have here now," the second-year head coach said. "That's something that I'm sure me and Moug -- listen, I've got the quarterbacks here that we're focused on right now."He has Geno Smith, Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook and fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik -- one bridge QB and three question marks, respectively. If they decide against Sorsby, it could be on to Arch Manning, Dante Moore & Co. next spring.2. Status quo? Beyond Smith, they lack seasoning at quarterback, so it may behoove them to add a veteran at some point. Neither Zappe nor Cook distinguished himself in the offseason, and Klubnik, who missed the last two weeks of practice because of back stiffness, is a rookie.They've been poking around the veteran market for a few months (remember the brief Russell Wilson flirtation?) and likely will continue to do so, but Glenn made it sound like he's OK with the current cast."Those guys will continue to compete," he said.3. Brick by brick: If you didn't know better, you might think the Jets are trying to impress their future quarterback. They're solidifying the offense, piece by piece, re-signing key players before they hit free agency.Not that they have to sell themselves to anyone. Chances are, their long-term quarterback will come from the draft. The bigger story here is how the Jets are building.In the last 11 months, they re-upped with five players on offense -- guard Joe Tippmann (four years, $62 million), running back Breece Hall (three years, $43.5 million), tight end Jeremy Ruckert (two years, $10 million), center Josh Myers (two years, $11 million) and wide receiver Garrett Wilson (four years, $130 million).Every starter except Smith is under contract for at least two seasons. Stability is rare in the NFL, but the Jets have a chance to achieve it.Instead of drafting a quarterback and then adding pieces around him, as previous regimes did with Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson (both of which failed), Mougey and Glenn are doing it in reverse: Supporting cast first, then drop in the quarterback.In theory, this creates a sound infrastructure, relieving some pressure on the young quarterback. This method isn't foolproof, we all know that. It requires patience and a series of good personnel decisions, not the least of which is selecting the right quarterback. For the Jets, that has been an issue for about 50 years.But, hey, at least they have a plan and a conviction."We want to keep the guys that are homegrown -- and we like good players," Glenn said with a laugh.4. On the edge: Free agent additions Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare didn't garner much media attention in the offseason, but they will be significant edge players on defense. They will have an impact on the playing time for Will McDonald IV.McDonald played 66% of the snaps in each of the last two seasons, but that number figures to decline. He likely will transition into a pass-rushing role, which is what he does best.And let's not forget about No. 2 overall pick David Bailey, who will have a major role on the edge. He received positive reviews for his spring, though it's difficult to get a complete evaluation without pads.5. Faster: Wide receiver Isaiah Williams was voted team MVP last season because of his return ability. Not satisfied, he worked in the offseason with noted sprint coach Stu McMillian in Scottsdale, Arizona. Williams said he trained with Olympic sprinters with the hope of improving his speed, which he hopes translates to a bigger role on offense."I want to score more touchdowns," said Williams, who scored twice (both on punt returns).6. Ripples: One injury can create ripples that are felt for months, even years. Such was the case last year when right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker went down before Week 1 with a season-ending triceps tear.At the time, Myers and Tippmann were locked in a battle at center. Instead of the loser going to the bench, both made the starting lineup -- Myers at center, Tippmann at right guard.Myers played well enough to get an extension. Tippmann cashed in on the position switch, landing an extension that made him the eighth-highest-paid right guard ($15.5 million per year) -- a lot more than he would be earning as the eighth-highest-paid center ($10 million per year).Maybe the strategy would have changed if Vera-Tucker had stayed healthy. As it turned out, he went to the New England Patriots for $14 million per year.One injury affected three players and two positions.7. Tipp of the iceberg: One thing lost in the conversation about Tippmann's extension is that he hasn't played a lot of right guard. In fact, he has more career snaps at center (1,632) than right guard (1,196). The organization sees him getting even better as he gains more experience at the position.8. Extra work: Smith said he will try to organize some workouts for skill position players near his home in South Florida before training camp. Clearly the quarterback's leadership has grown since his first stint with the Jets (2013-2016)."I think the magic is in the building," he said. "It's up to us to bring it together."9. Look ahead: There are 84 days before Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans.10. The last word: Asked what he will do for fun during the six-week hiatus, Glenn said he takes after his later father, whom he described as a workaholic."My wife does a really good job of trying to get me balanced and making sure I have things outside of football to create a hobby," he said. "So I'll golf and then I'll go to the country, and just hang out and mess with horses and do things like that. So that's my happy place."
