Based on what they saw at the end of the year, the Jets are likely to go outside the organization to find a quarterback to push Mark Sanchez for the starting job. The team needs somebody who can both motivate Sanchez and step in if Mark does not improve. Chad Henne might be such a guy.
Henne spent the first four years of his career in Miami. He was a second round pick of the Dolphins in Tony Sparano's first year with the team. He took over the starting quarterback job early in his second year after Chad Pennington got hurt. His development was far from spectacular. He was benched in favor of Pennington in 2010 only to regain the starting job in the first half of the next game after Pennington suffered another injury. An injury to his nonthrowing shoulder early in 2011 ended his season.
Henne was not a very productive player in Miami. He never threw more touchdowns than interceptions in a season. He never posted a passer rating of even 80. He only averaged 6.7 yards per attempt. Now he is hitting free agency.
While the Jets need to find somebody to push Sanchez, I think Henne would be a poor choice. I have never been a big fan of his going back to his college days at Michigan. I felt like his teams consistently underachieved there. I remember when the Jets traded up during the 2008 NFL Draft to take Dustin Keller, I was annoyed because I thought they were moving up for Henne. He has all of the pedestrian stats and efficiency of Mark Sanchez with none of the great play in big moments. He also lacks the inexperience excuse some use for Sanchez. Unlike Mark, Henne started four years in college and had a year to sit, practice, and learn on an NFL bench before he became a starter.
While I think the Jets need to find somebody to push Sanchez, I think the guy they get needs to have some measure of success on his resume. I can see some logic behind some team taking a chance on Henne, who was highly regarded by some coming out of school. Maybe he needs a fresh start. I see very little logic for a team like the Jets with the exact same coach who could get nothing from him to sign him. That would not be a fresh start. Henne likely needs a new voice. I think that is more significant than any edge he might have knowing the system.
I do not see any way in which Henne would be a potential upgrade over Sanchez. I would like a quarterback to come in to push Mark, but I think there are better options out there. What do you think?