QB Swap: Jets Owner Raises Interesting Question Regarding 2021 Draft

Woody Johnson: The New York Jets had 3 quarterbacks at the top of their board in 2021.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs for a first down year South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw(3) during the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina Saturday, November 30, 2019. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Zach Wilson may have texted a smiley emoji to Trevor Lawrence up Interstate 95 on Tuesday. Assuming Wilson saw the comments of Woody Johnson, Wilson and Lawrence might’ve shared an interesting conversation.

“I think Justin Fields is going to be a total winner for us," Johnson said, courtesy of FS1’s Wednesday edition of Breakfast Ball. "I've been impressed with him since his college days. It was he or Trevor Lawrence, and I think he is going to be really good.”

Fields might be really good in New York, but the Jets didn’t take him with the second overall pick in the 2021 draft. They took Wilson, one selection after the Jaguars took Lawrence first overall. Fields followed at No. 11 to the Chicago Bears.

Regardless of what Johnson meant, his comments raised an interesting question: How would Lawrence’s career have changed had he began in New York as the second-overall selection, rather than No. 1 in Jacksonville?

Both teams had first-year head coaches in 2021. The Jets had just hired Robert Saleh while the Jaguars attempted to transition Urban Meyer from the college game. New York’s offensive coordinator was Mike LaFleur, in his first season calling plays. Meyer hired veteran Darrell Bevell to run the Jaguars’ offense.

Both LaFleur and Bevell have roots in the West Coast offense, but LaFleur’s foundation was primarily the Mike and Kyle Shanahan version, with heavy emphasis on zone-blocking schemes.

Just 13 games into Lawrence’s rookie season, Bevell wound up replacing Meyer as head coach. And after the Jaguars replaced Doug Pederson with Liam Coen, Lawrence has now had four head coaches in five NFL seasons. Would he have had more stability with the Jets?

And, would the Jets have still traded for Aaron Rodgers in 2023, when the future Hall of Famer ruptured his Achilles’ tendon early in the team’s first regular-season game?

Plus, would Wilson have fared better than Lawrence in Jacksonville over their first four seasons?

All great conversations for a local bar, or morning sports talkshow.

Ironically, Wilson’s new team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2000; the Dolphins own the NFL’s longest streak without a postseason win, 24 seasons. The Jets, meanwhile, own the NFL’s longest streak without a playoff berth; they haven’t appeared in the postseason since 2010.

Lawrence helped the Jaguars to a playoff berth and wild-card win in 2022, his second season. The Jaguars also posted their first streak of winning seasons (2022-23) since 20024-05.

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