Garrard tweeted a photo of himself signing his contract last night.
Credit: Twitter/@davidgarrard9
The last time the Jets unveiled a quarterback, the organization drew criticism for holding a press conference for Tim Tebow. This time around, the Jets went the quiet route with David Garrard, introducing the quarterback via conference call with the media despite what might be a far more prominent role.
Last March, the Jets made it clear early on that Tebow was brought in as a backup and a gimmick on offense and that he wasn’t going to challenge for the starting job. Garrard, on the other hand, was brought in to compete and possibly start.
“I didn’t have a problem with going somewhere and possibly being a backup if that was the role that a team wanted me to be in, but when I saw the opportunity to be able to compete for a job, I saw that was good for me and my family,” Garrard said.
Garrard, who is entering his 10th NFL season, hasn’t played since 2010 due to injuries. But when he’s healthy, the 35-year-old quarterback could pose a threat to incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez. Last season, in his fourth year in the league, Sanchez was pinpointed as a major reason why the Jets finished 6-10 and missed the playoffs for a second straight year.
On Monday in a conference call with the New York media, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Sanchez has a “leg up” in the current quarterback competition. Garrard isn’t buying that.
“Honestly, they just told me that I have the chance to compete for the starting job. That’s what was told to me. They all seemed to be very genuine with it. They didn’t seem to [think], ‘Let’s just say this to him, so we can get him here and slot him into [a reserve role].’ I didn’t feel that. That’s how it was presented to me and that’s how I still feel. Then, also, your game will show everybody what your deal is,” Garrard said. “The way that I go out and perform, the way that I handle myself in the locker room, the way that I interact with the other players [and] with the coaches, I would feel like all those things for any player would put them in whatever position the coaches see fit.”
Jets notes …
»According to reports, the Jets have agreed to restructure the deal of wide receiver Santonio Holmes to give them more room under the salary cap.
» Other reports have indicated that nose tackle Sione Pouha will be cut from the Jets. At least one source said the Jets would like to retain the nose tackle at a lesser salary.
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer to stay up-to-date with the team during free agency.
