The NY Jets have shown interest in Marcus Mariota heading into the draft this offseason and if the team misses out on the quarterback, they could go after names like Bryce Petty or Brett Hundley if they trade out of the top 10, as those players could be solid competition for Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick heading into the 2015 regular season for Todd Bowles.
The Jets made major changes this offseason by hiring Bowles as head coach and Mike Maccagnan at GM and they have already made immediate impacts on the roster. The team traded for Brandon Marshall and got rid of Chris Johnson and they also brought back Darrelle Revis on a record deal. There is optimism in Florham Park and now the team may try and add a franchise quarterback to the mix.
While Smith had a solid finish to the 2014 season, Maccagnan and Bowles did not draft Smith and now they could look at bringing in "their own" quarterback. Smith will be coming in as the starter in OTAs with Fitzpatrick injured, but if the team adds a quarterback in the draft, expect there to be competition once training camp starts.
The Jets have been mentioned as an option for Mariota for quite some time, but if the team wants him, they likely will have to trade up. The Jets pick sixth in the NFL draft and it's very unlikely that Mariota gets out of the top five, The Titans likely hold the key at number two, as the Buccaneers are widely expected to take Jameis Winston and that leaves Mariota as the next best quarterback option.
The Jets have had reported interest in Mariota, while the San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns also could be options. The Chargers have scheduled a workout with Mariota, while the Chicago Bears reportedly have had the quarterback in for a visit. The Bears have the number seven overall pick and they could trade up with the Titans to get Mariota.
The Jets added a running back in free agency with Stevan Ridley and he signed a one year deal with the team and now will join Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory in the backfield. Ridley is coming off of an ACL injury and he has been up and down with fumbling issues for the Patriots over the last two seasons. Ridley had his best year in 2012 when he had over 1200 yards rushing and double digit touchdowns for the Pats.
