Who's The Quiet QB Answer the Jets Don't Yet Know They Need?

The New York Jets took a calculated swing by acquiring Justin Fields, but calling it a long-term solution would be generous. Fields is explosive, yes—but he’s also unproven as a consistent NFL starter. 

Enter Will Howard, a 6-4, 236-pound prospect out of Ohio State ... who brings a different flavor to the table: size, toughness, and poise. He’s shown steady improvement over his career, displaying good mechanics, clean footwork, and the ability to beat pressure with anticipation throws. 

He’s also mobile enough to extend plays and escape when the pocket collapses.

But Howard isn’t a gunslinger. He’s more of a vessel for the play-caller than a natural playmaker. His reads are typically confined to half the field, and he's not a guy who's known for manipulating coverage with his eyes. 

His arm talent is functional—but not special.

He most certainly benefited from a loaded skill group at Ohio State, and without elite velocity, he’ll need to prove he can out-think NFL defenses, not just operate comfortably within structure. 

But that's the very point that the most significant here. The quarterback position is about the long game. The position that defies age because it's won mostly with the mind and the mind matures with time. 

Will Howard seems to be wired that way. So regardless of whatever his film or skillset would indicate, it's ultimate not what's important. 

If we've said it once we've said it one thousand times: "physical traits get you in the league, mental traits keep you there." 

The Jets don’t need a savior right away; they just need a steady hand, a developmental plan, and a future post-Aaron Rodgers.

Justin Fields would provide a two-year window for Howard to adjust to the NFL level and they likely wouldn't to invest a whole lot of capital to make it happen. 

Howard might not be flashy. But with the right support and patience, he just might become the long-term answer the Jets hoped Rodgers could be.

Two former Ohio State quarterbacks, each with their own unique style—Fields with the flash, Howard with the fundamentals could make sense in New York.

The future of the Jets may hinge not on who dazzles, but on who develops.