By By James J. Parziale
Chad Pennington dropped back for what should have been a routine pass. He cocked his surgically-repaired shoulder, reared back and should have uncorked a routine throw. Instead, Jaguars DE Paul Spicer blindsided Pennington’s arm, pulling it back, creating another slight tear in the shoulder. Just like that, Pennington, like the Jets chances to reach Detroit in February, were done for the season.
Since Pennington re-injured the same shoulder, which in February underwent arthroscopic surgery to fix a torn rotator cuff, the Jets have endured an array of quarterback woes-going through three quarterbacks since Pennington went down.
The Jets (2-6) 2005 season is sinking quicker than the Titanic, and while the remaining games rapidly morph into nothing more than jockeying for draft position, the future is cloudy. With a stalwart defense driven by its youth, the window for success will be slammed shut eventually. Pennington can’t lead them to a Lombardi trophy because he is nothing more than damaged goods.
When the Jets signed Pennington to a $64-million contract during last season, they thought they were locking up a franchise quarterback. He can’t be that guy. Returning from a major shoulder injury, let alone one which happened before, is unreasonable.
The Jets front office should open a media guide and delve into their history a bit. When Vinny Testaverde went down in 1999 with an Achilles injury, he was never the same quarterback afterward.
In baseball, once a pitcher has torn a rotator cuff, he is forced to redesign his entire game. A flame-thrower is reduced to nothing more to a junk-baller, but Pennington doesn’t have that option. It takes a minimum of a year for a pitcher to come back-Pennington had five months.
The Jets coddled Pennington during the off-season, withholding him from April’s mini-camp and scaling back his workload in training camp. No need to rush him, the team said, because he needs time. Well, even after he got the time, he looked ill-prepared in running the offense.
He fumbled five times Opening Day, which resulted in a 27-7 destruction to the Chiefs. His passes lacked zip and resembled the final shots from a Roman candle. Now, after his second shoulder surgery in eight months, the Jets can’t hinge an entire season on his health. They need to bring in a new face.
Backup Jay Fiedler is a worthy No. 2, but he is nothing more. The Jets must cut Pennington after this season despite the $12 million salary cap hit and sign Drew Brees. The Chargers will have the option of re-signing Brees because he will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, but with Philip Rivers (who might be available in a trade) waiting in the wings, that’s not probable.
Another facet of the equation is the Pennington-Herm Edwards marriage. This is their regime, and with Pennington faltering, Edwards will likely get canned. Once Super Bowl dreams fade to a 4-12 nightmare, someone will likely take the ax. It should be both of them.
If Brees can’t find a home elsewhere that will guarantee him a starting job, the Jets could lure him. This is a team that should be contending for a Super Bowl because of their defense, but has been ransacked by offensive injuries. The Jets four different starting quarterbacks have combined for five passing touchdowns this season, which is mind-boggling.
The Jets other option is through the draft, but any quarterback ready to step in and start will likely be a top-five pick and require a healthy fiscal investment.
What it boils down to is this-Pennington is a noose around the Jets financially and emotionally, so they must get rid of him. They can’t wait until next season to jettison his contract or until his health returns.
Like his tenure with the Jets, Pennington’s grace period is over.