We know that Matt Simms will start the Jets’ preseason finale. We don’t know who will start the team’s regular-season opener.
It won’t be Mark Sanchez if he’s still dealing with a shoulder injury.
Per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Sanchez remains day-to-day due to the hit he took in the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s meaningless (but for the Snoopy Trophy) game against the Giants. Mehta writes that people familiar with the injury “aren’t confident at this point” that Sanchez will be ready to play when the Buccaneers come to town on September 8.
We’ve detected, both from the team and Sanchez’s camp, a strong desire to keep his true status under wraps. If Sanchez will miss several weeks or longer, the Jets need help. It’ll be harder to find that help if other teams know the Jets are desperate.
By staying coy, the Jets can upgrading the position by making waiver claims or signing free agents. If it’s known that they need a replacement for Sanchez, other teams may try to squeeze a draft pick or two out of the Jets for a guy who otherwise would have been cut.
With Marty Mornhinweg now serving as the offensive coordinator in New York, it makes sense to keep an eye on any quarterbacks who have experience in Mornhinweg’s system.
Unfortunately, Kevin Kolb is both employed and injured, the Eagles don’t seem to be inclined to move Nick Foles, and Donovan McNabb is retired.