The New York Jets have agreed to a one-year deal with 35-year-old quarterback David Garrard, who was cut last season from the Miami Dolphins' training camp because of a knee injury. The financial terms of the deal have not yet been released.
Sources inside the Jets organization said Garrard had a great workout in February, but incumbent starter Mark Sanchez still has a "leg up" on the competition according to new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Garrard has thrown 89 career touchdowns as opposed to 54 interceptions, but has not taken an NFL field since 2010. He was a fourth round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002 and spent his whole career there before attempting a comeback with Miami last year. He threw for 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2010, his final year with the Jaguars, but the organization drafted quarterback Blaine Gabbert with their top pick in the 2011 draft. While they said Garrard would be the starter entering the season, he was cut before the year started. He decided to use 2011 to have surgery on a herniated disk in his back.
Garrard is expected to pose a real threat to Sanchez, who has been under fire for two years after quarterbacking the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games. In 2009 and 2010. Sanchez posted the second-worst completion percentage of his career in 2012 (54.3) and only managed 13 touchdowns to 18 interceptions. He was benched after a 10-of-21, three-interception first half against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13 for third-stringer Greg McElroy. The Jets won the following week against the Jaguars before Sanchez melted down once again on Monday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans with a four-interception showing that cost the Jets any chance at the postseason. He was supposed to be benched for good after that game, but McElroy suffered a concussion in Week 16 that thrust Sanchez back under center for the final game.
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