With the Jets stuck drafting their new young starting quarterback, they’re trying to figure out who his experienced backup will be.
Brian Hoyer, who has played for seven teams for 12 seasons, is visiting the Jets on Wednesday, according to a source. Hoyer, 35, played for the Patriots last season, starting one game.
Hoyer is familiar with the Jets’ new attack. He played for the Browns in 2014 when Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator and Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was an intern. He also started six games for the 2017 49ers with Shanahan as the head coach and LaFleur as the passing game coordinator. Jet coach Robert Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and saw Hoyer up close. Hoyer went 0-6 in San Francisco that season before Jimmy Garoppolo took over.
Backup quarterback is a need for the Jets. After trading Sam Darnold on Monday, the Jets have only James Morgan and Mike White on the position. Neither has ever taken a snapshot in an NFL game. The Jets are expected to draft BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with # 2 overall pick in three weeks in the 2021 NFL Draft. They must find a veteran to guide and guide Wilson.
Hoyer played for the Patriots, Cardinals, Browns, Texans, Bears, 49ers and Colts in his career, mostly as a backup. He has started 39 games and is 16-23 as a starter.
The Jets have had problems at the backup spot for the past few years. They haven’t won a game that started with a backup quarterback since 2016, when Bryce Petty won a game in San Francisco. They have since been 0-15 with a starting backup. Joe Flacco was Darnold’s backup last season, losing his four starts. Flacco signed with the Eagles this low season as a free agent.