The Jets continue to employ veteran quarterback David Garrard, even though they continue to not use him.
They apparently are interested in continuing to not use him in 2014. Unless, of course, they aren’t.
According to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, Garrard said after practice that the team has broached the possibility of a return next season. Garrard said the Jets raised the issue informally two weeks ago, telling Garrard, “[O]nce a Jet, always a Jet.”
(Wait, so Tim Tebow is still a Jet?)
Hubbuch also writes that Garrard contacted the Post later in the day to explain that Garrard didn’t mean to suggest the Jets specifically had talked to him about a return next season. A Jets spokesman said the same thing.
So why are the Jets tiptoeing on eggshells regarding the question of whether a guy they aren’t using will be back next season? Garrard presumably signed a one-year deal under the so-called minimum salary benefit. The Collective Bargaining Agreement says that such contracts “may not be extended or renegotiated in any manner.”
It sounds like the Jets did indeed talk to Garrard about staying, that someone figured out that the Jets could get in trouble for doing that, and that the official position suddenly became that the Jets haven’t talked to Garrard about returning.
That’s a lot of words devoted to a guy who hasn’t actually played in a game since 2010. Then again, there’s a chance we’ll see him at some point on Sunday.
It’s not as if Garrard would be any worse than Geno Smith or Matt Simms.
Heck, Tim Tebow would arguably better than all three of him. Since he’s technically still a Jet, maybe they should give him a call.