Pros and Cons If the Jets Actually Sign Cooper Rush

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush (15) warms up before a game against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

With OTAs beginning next week, New York Jets fans are still wondering who will be the backup behind starting quarterback Geno Smith this season.

As things currently stand, rookie Cade Klubnik could step into that role, as he made a good first impression at rookie minicamp earlier this month. Then there’s Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook, whose futures are still up in the air.

In the best-case scenario, the Jets likely wouldn’t want Klubnik as their No. 2. Instead, Russell Wilson or Cooper Rush would be seen as a better option to be a bridge between Smith and the rookie. However, the Jets and Wilson don’t seem close to an agreement as he’s weighing a TV opportunity. But Rush is still available, and at this point, he could be the best option for the Jets.

In April, Connor Hughes of SNY reported that the veteran quarterback is “someone they have a level of interest in.” Has that intrigue picked up since then? Who knows. But we’ll break down the pros and cons of New York bringing Rush in as the backup to Geno Smith.

Pro 1: NFL experience

With the Jets having a rookie quarterback behind Smith, adding a guy like Rush, who has eight years of experience and 42 games (16 starts) on his resume, would be a solid addition.

If Smith were to get hurt in a game, the Jets could turn to Rush to be a game manager. Now, if the Jets need him to start multiple games, that’s where he could get into trouble. We’ll dive into this later.

At 32 years old, Rush knows what he is at this point in his career. He’s not competing to be a starter in the league, but as a backup, he’s a steady option. And he’s someone that Klubnik can learn from. Rush spent several years in Dallas, where he worked with Dak Prescott, and last season shared a QB room with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley.

That knowledge he picked up from those guys, even though they don’t share the same skill set, can help Klubnik’s development. Rush would give the Jets another veteran voice in a QB room that has a ton of experience with Smith and QBs coach Bill Musgrave. And not to mention, Jets OC Frank Reich played quarterback for several years in the NFL.

Con 1: Not a perfect long-term starting option

As with all backup quarterbacks, they have tier limitations and flaws, hence why they aren’t full-time starters. And Rush is no different. He won’t beat you with his legs and doesn’t have a cannon for an arm.

He’s a game manager, but in the right offense with weapons, Rush could make plays, as shown during his time with the Cowboys.

Cooper Rush during his time in Dallas. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

However, things went south for Rush in Baltimore when he was asked to start two games and looked terrible. In those two losses, the Ravens were outscored by 34 and 14 points.

It was a reminder that Rush wasn’t Lamar Jackson and that Rush is a backup. The veteran QB completed 64.1% of his passes for 251 yards and four interceptions. That was the last time we saw Rush start a game for Baltimore, which parted ways earlier this offseason after signing him to

For his career, when asked to be a starter, Rush surprisingly has a 9-7 record. Granted, most of that success came in Dallas under Mike McCarthy, but you can’t take that from him. Rush has completed 60.5% of his passes for 3,209 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also has 12 fumbles, with five lost, which is not ideal. 

Pro 2: Cost and best option available

The Jets still have an enormous amount of cap space ($26.9 million, per Over The Cap) that they can still use to sign a splash free agent or two in the coming weeks. However, luckily for them, they won’t have to use much of their cap space to sign Rush or any backup QB at that.

Based on his playing experience, Rush is worth signing to a one-year deal at $2.5 million. That would put him at the same tier with ex-Jet Tyrod Taylor, Trey Lance, and Sam Howell. Taylor, Lance, and Howell got one-year contracts worth $2.5 million.

The upper-tier backup quarterbacks such as Marcus Mariota and Joe Flacco got one-year deals worth $7 and $6 million this offseason. Rush isn’t at those guys’ level, but looking at what’s left in free agency, one could argue he’s a better fit for Reich’s offense over Josh Dobbs, Easton Stick, Jake Haener, and Desmond Ridder, just to name a few.

Rush is also a more feasible option than Jimmy Garoppolo, who had the luxury of being Matthew Stafford’s backup for the last two seasons. Going from the Rams to possibly the Jets would be considered a downgrade for the former Patriots QB.

Con 2: He’s not Russell Wilson or Tyrod Taylor

While Rush will give you your standard dropback passer under center, he won’t give those exciting plays with his leg or arm. These are things that Wilson and Taylor offer despite their ages.

Now, we know Jets fans aren’t fond of Wilson being the backup QB, but he showed in a small glimpse with the New York Giants that he can still compete and air the ball out. In Week 2 vs. the Cowboys, Wilson turned back the clock in a thrilling overtime loss for the Giants.

Wilson completed 73.2% of his passes (30-of-41) for 450 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Now that performance was sandwiched between two horrid performances in Weeks 1 and 3, but it proved that he can still give you those moments.

Taylor had a moment himself last season in Week 3 against the Buccaneers. The Jets lost by two points to Tampa Bay, but the veteran QB held up his end of the bargain. He completed 26-of-36 passes (72.1%) for 197 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He added 48 rushing yards and had a fumble.

It was close to a vintage Taylor performance that fans were going to get. He doesn’t have the arm strength like Wilson, but he can move in the pocket, giving defenses another thing to worry about in the backfield.

As we previously mentioned, Rush doesn’t possess either of those qualities. Now, does that make him a bad backup QB? No, because the job at the end of the day is to execute whatever play is called. However, if he were to play, it would put pressure on the O-line to do their job and for Reich to construct a game plan towards his strengths.