If David Garrard has it his way, the former Pro Bowler will be competing with Mark Sanchez for the Jets’ starting quarterback job come the spring.
In an interview Monday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Garrard, who had a workout with the Jets last week, said he views the Jets as the perfect opportunity for him to compete with Sanchez for the starting job.
“I felt like if I am healthy and I am playing at my highest then that’s going to give me a great opportunity to be the starting quarterback,” Garrard said in the interview. “Now, if Mark comes out and he is playing even better than that, then great for him, but I am going to give it my all. If I can be the starting quarterback, I know what I can do on the field and I know what I can bring to the table. Hopefully I can and if that’s the case, I know we can have some good times.”
The Jets are in the market for a new starting quarterback, or at least someone who can compete for the job with Sanchez, who had a dismal season, throwing 18 interceptions to go along with nine fumbles with a QB rating of 66.9. Garrard threw 23 touchdowns in 2010 and had a 91.0 quarterback rating making the Pro Bowl, his last year in the league before injuries sidelined him the past two seasons. The Jaguars released him before the 2011 season and then he had surgery on a herniated disc. Last season, he was the favorite to be the Dolphins starters before a knee injury ended his season in training camp.
“I just think its a great opportunity. I still gotta go out there and win the job. I still gotta go out there and play if I am signed by the Jets. For me its not necessarily money,” Garrard said. “Everybody wants to get paid, everybody wants to make money but that’s not really it. I definitely want to get out there and show I can still be the same quarterback I was in the past. The quarterback that’s been to Pro Bowls, been at the tops in the league so far as far as QB rating. I want to go out and win ball games.”
Garrard is also more mobile than Sanchez, racking up over 1,700 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns over his career, compared to Sanchez who had 28 rushing yards this season. He said the Jets were very impressed with what they saw when he described his workout, but they couldn’t sign him due to salary cap problems.
“Went up there last Wednesday, worked out on Thursday. It was a great workout. They had two receivers they brought in to take a look at them too but also to catch balls from me and every drill they had me do, I did great in,” Garrard said.
“I felt like I was my old self again. They loved what they saw. I just know when I am healthy and I’m out there doing what I can do, I know it’s going to be good football. They loved what they saw. They have a lot of issues with the cap so they couldn’t really do anything at the time, that’s kind of unfortunate too. I don’t want to still be sitting out here without a job.
“They definitely ran me and ran me a lot I had to run 170 yards straight and then come back and make four throws into trash cans. I didn’t make it into the trash cans — I hit a few of the trash cans though — but they had me gassed, they had me winded. My knee was fine. I did go see their team doctor….got an MRI (exam), got X-rays, got all that stuff, the doctor said everything looked good.”
Garrard said the Jets would be the ideal situation for him, and that he met with head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg during his visit. He said he would love the opportunity to play for Ryan.
“I did have an opportunity to meet Rex Ryan. I thought once I sat down and talked to him, I thought he was a great guy. Great coach, I can see why players love to play for him and they play hard for him. You love the way that he shoots it to you, you don’t want to be smoothed over and told exactly what you want to hear. He just seems like a guy that wants to get the most out of his guys,” Garrard said.
He said being at home the past two years has made him realize he can still play and that he was better than some quarterbacks, although he refused to name names.
“I’ve been watching for the last few years unfortunately and I’ve been watching some not-so-good quarterbacks play out there and I know that I can still play and can play at a high level. I am tired of sitting and watching it on my couch. I want to get back on the field and show myself that I can stay healthy and help a ballclub, really,” Garrard said.
Garrard met Sanchez last week and talked to him. He only had good things to say about the man who could be his competition soon.
“I definitely think it is one of those ideal situations. I’m not taking anything away from Mark. Mark’s a great guy, I got to meet him actually while I was up there for my workout,” Garrard said.
He has been contacted by other teams but the Jets remain his No. 1 choice, and he refused to say who else was interested. No other team has offered him a tryout.
“I really cant be very choosy at this time. But the Jets I see as a perfect opportunity like you’re saying, to be able to go in and compete for the starting job,” he said. “If I can get that opportunity, then that’s great, but if I have to just join somebody and be on the team and use my knowledge for what I can do to help this ball club out and hope for a chance to get back on the field, then I have to do that too. I’m not going to be bitter if I land somewhere and they have an all-time great quarterback on their squad.”
Over eight years with Jacksonville, Garrard has thrown for over 16,000 yards with 89 touchdowns and 54 interceptions. He led the Jaguars to two playoff appearances in 2005 and 2007.