New York Jets QB Jordan Travis surprisingly retired from the NFL due to complications from his leg injury in college. That has left the team scrambling for answers to fill the QB3 void.
On “Boy Green Meets Wudi”, Jet Nation analyst James Wudi floated out a potential trade option for the team to consider.
“Kyle Allen, who was actually Justin Fields’ teammate in Pittsburgh [last season]. He trains in the offseason with guys who have been known to improve over the years, like Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. The familiarity with Fields is cool for me, and he is a solid football player. Is he going to be a franchise guy? No, I don’t think he is, but this is somebody who can be better under the tutelage of ‘elite’ offensive mind Tanner Engstrand, if that is something you believe if you’re drinking that Kool-Aid,” Wudi explained.
Allen signed a one-year, $1.27 million contract with the Detroit Lions in free agency this offseason. The Jets would have to trade with the Lions to acquire Allen.
“That’s the scenario the Jets are in. You can’t pick up these types of players off the street because anyone who is a young QB who could become better is signed somewhere,” Wudi added.
Allen Would Be an Immediate Upgrade at the QB3 Spot
Allen, 29, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent back in 2018. He has spent time on six different NFL franchises during that stretch.
The former Houston product has appeared in 31 games and has made 19 starts. He has thrown for 4,753 passing yards, has completed 62.7% of his passes, and has a 26 touchdown to 21 interception ratio.
In 2019, during his time with the Carolina Panthers, Allen showed some prowess as a runner, finishing with 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That season, he appeared in 13 games and made 12 starts, the most experience he has ever had in a single season.
The top two on the Jets’ quarterback depth chart are locked in stone. Justin Fields is the starter, and Tyrod Taylor is his backup. However, the QB3 door is wide open.
Travis would have had a good shot at it, but he left the NFL. The former Florida State product didn’t appear in a game, nor did he get in a single practice. He was an upside dart throw as a development project.
Allen has a higher ceiling as someone who has played in the league for seven years.
The Ultimate Insurance Policy
“If these two injury-prone guys get hurt, you know, maybe [Kyle Allen] can win a game or two,” Wudi said.
Fields has never played a full season in the NFL, whether due to injury or benching. The same is true for Tyrod Taylor.
On top of Fields and Taylor’s durability concerns, recent Jets history suggests multiple quarterbacks will be getting into the mix.
There have been only two occasions over the last 10 seasons where a quarterback started a full year for the Jets.
In 2015, Ryan Fitzpatrick started all 16 games for Gang Green. He didn’t finish all 16 games, but he did start all 16. Last year, Aaron Rodgers started all 17 games.
Outside of those two examples, the Jets have had at least two quarterbacks start games in 8 of the last 10 seasons, and it has often been more than that.
In other words, QB3 might be an important position for the Jets to fill ahead of the 2025 season.
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