Glenn noted that Fields and Cook are under contract (Taylor can become an unrestricted free agent). And while opportunities will arise to bring in an experienced veteran signal-caller during the free agency signing period, the draft will be an intense focus for all wearers of the green and white with the Jets picking second and 16th overall in Round 1 in late April.
The head coach said the Jets have the infrastructure to select one of the draft’s top quarterbacks and develop him, even as the team will be refining that infrastructure throughout the first half of the year.
“We’re going to exhaust everything that we can to make sure that we surround our quarterbacks now, and if we get any quarterbacks in the future, with the guys that are going to help them,” Glenn said. “That’s a whole part of making sure that we evaluate everything that’s going on, making sure we have the right people here that can help the quarterback. And I’m not saying we don’t have that. That’s something that we have to continue to look at.
“So that’s not a question I can sit here and say, ‘Listen, we have that.’ We are going to evaluate and exhaust everything to make sure we surround every one of our guys with the right staff, with the right strength and conditioning, with the right medical, to make sure those guys are successful.”
Mougey, like any GM at this time on the NFL calendar, wasn’t into discussing whether Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, the Indiana QB, or any other QB that may be there for them at 2 or 16 or at some number in between.
“There are still several games to be played and I think these games will be big and have an impact,” the GM said of the prospect of other top quarterbacks emerging in the remaining College Football Playoff schedule. “And I think there’s a process and every organization is different and in a different situation. But I know that all teams in the NFL are very thorough with their process and have different tastes or likings or needs at their certain spots.
“But yeah, the quarterback evaluation is a full process, I think, start to finish, with obviously the games being the most important and a lot of that is done, so I understand the questions. But there will be some exciting games here still to watch at the end.”