There is no way of knowing whether Teddy Bridgewater or “Johnny Football” Manziel or Tahj Boyd or their next franchise quarterback will be available to the Jets in the 2014 NFL Draft. There will be other sad sack teams jockeying for position at the top of that draft for a franchise quarterback, and did any of you see what happened to Robert Griffin III in the playoffs?
If general manager John Idzik and his personnel people believe strongly that E.J. Manuel is a franchise quarterback, the Jets’ rookie general manager should trade down from the 13th pick secured from the Darrelle Revis trade with the Buccaneers and get their man now. (Same strategy if they feel strongly about Ryan Nassib, should the Bills pass on him at No. 8.)
What better way to appease your disgruntled fan base than turning the Revis pick into a quarterback who could give PSL holders at the very least a scintilla of hope, while getting yourself an extra second-round pick perhaps?
Of all the holes on the Jets roster, franchise quarterback is the biggest, and hardest to fill. So you better be right.
But if you get a pass rusher (Barkevious Mingo) with the ninth pick, and then opt for your next quarterback, you can get your guard and corner or tight end with your next two picks.
Manuel is 6-foot-5, 237 pounds and was recently likened to Cam Newton by Browns rookie head coach Rob Chudzinski, previously the Panthers offensive coordinator. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, who studies almost as much tape as the Post’s Brian Costello does, rates Manuel his second-best quarterback in this draft, behind Geno Smith. This is a dual-threat quarterback — no need for the Wildcat, thank you — who compares himself with Ben Roethlisberger.
If the kid is indeed the real deal, no harm, no foul drafting him for the next Jets head coach if Rex Ryan doesn’t survive. He can spend his rookie season getting his feet wet and learning behind Mark Sanchez and David Garrard or Greg McElroy, and acclimating to New York, perhaps starting a few games once the Jets are eliminated from the playoffs.
In the likely event Costello is confused, let me elaborate — because the Jets have more needs than the married Tiger Woods, I am not necessarily advocating the drafting of a quarterback at No. 9 or 13.
For example, unless there is a unanimous pounding of the table in the war room, I would pass on Smith if he were available and try to trade down with another club that covets him and snag the extra pick.
Sanchez, who would have been better served wearing a Tom Brady mask at Celtics-Knicks Game 1, is a long shot to return after this season. The Jets’ quarterback cupboard as currently filled will likely be bare after this season.
“I’m hoping it’s the New York Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills,” Manuel told ESPN yesterday.
Let me make this clear — I have great respect for my colleague — whether the rumors he labeled Tim Tebow a can’t-miss Hall of Famer are true or not.
steve.serby@nypost.com