New York Jets Rumors: Should Mark Sanchez Be Jettisoned or Rebuilt?

Featured NFL Writer

A few weeks ago, New York Jets third-string quarterback Greg McElroy made a bit of a splash by talking about problems within the Jets locker room. McElroy drew criticism, but now everybody's talking and the focus of all the comments is quarterback Mark Sanchez.

First it was unnamed players who told the New York Post Sanchez was "lazy" this season.

Then running back LaDainian Tomlinson went on Showtime's Inside the NFL and said that Sanchez is "a bit pampered because he has no competition... He has no real threat to say, 'This guy may take my job.'"

Tomlinson also said that the tension between Sanchez and wide receiver Santonio Holmes was "palpable" and might not be fixable. "I would really have to sit them down and see if they can co-exist... If I really feel like they can't, then you have to make a move."

Cornerback Darrelle Revis said that head coach Rex Ryan wasn't aware about the tension in the locker room until it was too late and that some of the stuff was "real deep." In his comments, Revis stuck up for Sanchez, as did center Nick Mangold.

It's clear that the Jets have to fix the relationship between Sanchez and Holmes, or get rid of one of them. But will that fix all the problems with Sanchez? Let's break down the Jets' options - jettisoning of Sanchez or rebuilding him.

Jettison Him

After three years, Sanchez's growth as a quarterback has been incremental at best. His completion percentage has increased each season, but it was only 56.7 percent this season. And while Sanchez threw a career-best 26 touchdowns in 2011, his interception total went up to 18 from 13 the year before.

Three years isn't necessarily a complete litmus test on whether a quarterback can hack it in the NFL, but it's enough of a sample size that the Jets might feel justified to move on.

New York would have to land a suitable replacement for Sanchez, and that points to one name - Peyton Manning. Lesser options, such as Matt Flynn for example, wouldn't provide enough of an upgrade to get rid of Sanchez.

But if the Jets landed Manning, they could deal Sanchez. It happened to Chad Pennington after the Jets got Brett Favre, so the precedent is there.

Rebuild Him

However, jettisoning Sanchez isn't the right move. Instead, New York should be focusing its efforts on rebuilding Sanchez's confidence and coaching him into a better player.

With offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer gone to St. Louis, Sanchez no longer has a passing-game supervisor. New coordinator Tony Sparano will spend more time with the offensive line and the running game, which means the Jets must hire someone to steward Sanchez's development.

Quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh is respected, but the Jets could use another passing-game specialist on the staff to help advance Sanchez's development.

Coaching isn't the only concern. The Jets also need to address the Holmes situation. The wide receiver's contract makes cutting or trading him financially irresponsible, but the Jets may have to bite that bullet anyway.

If Holmes returns, it must be with the understanding that he and Sanchez get along. If that doesn't happen, the Jets locker room will undoubtedly turn toxic again.

But despite the risk of trying to rebuild Sanchez, the truth is that it's the approach that is the best option for the Jets.

The question is whether Ryan and company have the patience and the resolve to get the job done.

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Posted at 6:00 AM. Labeled under Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, Robert Neely, Rumors .