Sanchez Has a Role to Play

There is one feeling that rings out from the majority of Jets fans I talk to. It's the feeling that Sanchez is done, and should be cut as soon as possible. This feeling is warranted, and I won't fault anyone for feeling it, but I try to look at things in a way that isn't the popular way of looking at things. With most fans calling for Mark's head after June 1st, I see an opportunity and a necessity.

I have one question for everyone that wants Mark cut before training camp really gets going. Why? The most common answer I hear is "I don't want Mark anywhere near Geno." Mark isn't a virus. He won't infect Geno with a feverish inability to be great. To think that Mark will have any ill effect on Geno's growth is silly. If anything, Mark can help prepare him for what will happen if he stumbles, and that will happen. If you think Geno will be perfect right out of the gate, you have another thing coming. There is a lot Geno has to work on, and will need to get down, before he can truly lead this team.

Well since we can rest easy knowing Mark isn't an infectious disease, why shouldn't we let him compete? It's not because of the money. Either way, we will be paying Mark a lot of money. I know I said that I had one question, but I lied. Here's another one. What are you guys scared of when it comes to Mark competing? I want you guys to think about that before I go into why I think Mark competing is a good thing for us.

The last thing I want happening this offseason, is our starting QB job to be given to someone that hasn't earned it through competition. I know Geno looks like a leader, and a QB with a bright future, but do you want him to start untested? First we should look at who is here to test him. We have David Garrard, who looked good last year, before going down with an knee injury. The reality is, he hasn't started a real game in a long time, and health is an issue. If he gets hurt, who is left? Do you guys honestly think Greg Mcelroy is enough competition for Geno? No offense to Greg, he is a great competitor, and stand up dude. What he isn't, is anything more than a #3 QB. If Garrard goes down, we would pretty much be giving the job to Geno.

The next reason I have for wanting Mark to stick around for camp, is what I call the desperation factor. Sanchez is at the end of the line. He knows very well this is his last chance in NY. The job will absolutely not be given to him on a silver platter, like years past. His NFL existence is on the line in 2013. This makes me look at Mark, as if he is a cornered animal. What do cornered animals do? They could do anything when pushed to the brink. Weird things happen when survival is on the line. It's this unknown that makes Mark perfect competition. He has everything to lose if he fails. I think only good can come from this situation. I see him either competing hard, and coming up short, or surprising everyone, and becomes the QB we wish he became earlier. Granted, the latter is unlikely, and not to be expected. If that does happen, we could be in a very good position going forward.

What happens if Mark wins the job, and then reverts back to his horrible ways? Well then the Geno era begins, and we cut Mark. No matter how you look at it, we probably aren't doing much this year anyway. Smith's development won't be hampered by sitting for a bit, and will only be made better by the competition.