This is the first of a 23 part series detailing the position battles of the Jets offseason. The Jets have a lot of great battles to look forward to, so here are a detailed look at one of the position battles. You can find an overview of the position battles here:

Position Battle Overview

The first battle we will look at is for the third quarterback spot (Spot A). This is a close battle between sophomore quarterback Greg McElroy and undrafted rookie G.J. Kinne out of Tulsa. To look closer at this battle, check after the jump.

These players may be polar opposites. G.J. Kinne is the guy everyone roots for. Profiled in E:60, Kinne went through a horrible tragedy in high school where his father was shot and almost killed. Luckily, he survived, and Kinne went to be the starter at Tulsa. McElroy, the former quarterback of BCS champions Alabama, is hated by many Jets fans for his criticism of the "corrupt mindset" of the Jets locker room. No team holds more than three quarterbacks on the roster. Only one of these players can stay.

Statistics (College-Senior Year): Completions/Attempts, Cmplt. Percentage, Total Yards, Average Yards per Completion, TDs, INTs, Rating

G.J. Kinne: 247/390, 63.3%, 3090, 7.9, 28, 12, 147.4

Greg McElroy: 222/313, 70.9%, 2987, 9.5, 20, 5, 169.0

Injuries: McElroy: Placed on IR for season from dislocated thumb, cracked ribs in BCS championship, broken hand in Senior Bowl

Kinne: Grade II MCL tear

Scouting Reports:

G.J. Kinne- Via Sideline Scouting

Greg McElroy-Via Sporting News

My Take: This is a tough choice. McElroy is the perfect backup for the Jets, where he can efficiently manage the game, a la Chad Pennington. But Penningtons protege, Kinne doesn't lack the physical tools needed to start as badly as McElroy does. If the choice came down to just play, I wouldn't think Kinne would have a chance. McElroy came from a bigger school with better numbers and skill. But McElroy's comments may have doomed him, and his abilities over Kinne may not be enough to convince the Jets to keep him around.

EDIT:

Jets signed Phil Simms youngest son, Matt Simms. However, his chances are slim. He has a strong arm and the genetics, but he barely started in college, has suspect accuracy, and often looks lost. I don't think he makes the first cut. You're gonna wanna quote that, if he somehow manages to beat all the odds and make the team. Anything can happen.