Mark

Sanchez

Sanchez is expected to be released before he’s owed a $2 million roster bonus in March. The Raiders are looking for a pocket passer to run OC Greg Olson’s offense, so Sanchez could be viewed as a veteran upgrade on Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin. Despite coming off labrum surgery and two straight turnover-riddled seasons, Sanchez has drawn interest as a starter from at least one team. An unnamed coach told the New York Post last month that he has already discussed adding Sanchez in anticipation of him being released.

Sanchez was forced into a Week 14 spot start for the Redskins when Colt McCoy got injured last year. He managed to stick around as a backup despite looking washed the past several seasons. Sanchez made playoff appearances his first two years but had been on a downward trajectory since. He finishes his career with a 56.6 completion percentage, 15,357 yards, and an 86:89 TD/INT ratio. Sanchez will move into broadcasting as a college football analyst for ESPN.

Sanchez was predictably dreadful, completing 6-of-14 throws for 38 yards and two interceptions, including a pick six. The Redskins trailed the Giants 40-0 when Sanchez was mercifully sat down. Multiple reports have indicated Skins GM Bruce Allen refuses to consider Colin Kaepernick due to Allen’s political beliefs. Alex Smith and Colt McCoy are both out for the year.

Colt McCoy broke his fibula early in the first half, and crusty Sanchez had to come on in relief as the team’s lone healthy quarterback. He handed off to Adrian Peterson on his first play, and the ageless back went 90 yards to the house. The Redskins never threatened the end zone again, with Sanchez throwing his pick in Eagles territory. The guy is not good and doesn’t belong on an NFL roster. Unfortunately, we have to watch him for another month. The Giants get Sanchez next.

The NFL’s “meritocracy” spins on. When last we heard of 32-year-old Sanchez, he was being slapped with a four-game PED ban in April. Now he will serve as Colt McCoy’s backup in Washington. Sanchez has attempted just 109 passes since the end of the 2014 season. Teams have to start getting more imaginative at quarterback instead of recycling the same retreads over and over and over again.

Sanchez passed the test, but it speaks to how badly he got beat up by the Cowboys. Look for the Jets to take a much more conservative, run-heavy approach against the Jaguars this week.

It enabled Mark Sanchez to tie a career-high with 44 pass attempts, but also exposed him to a beating behind an underperforming offensive line, as he took four sacks amidst almost constant pressure. The strategy did allow the Jets to take advantage of a banged up Cowboys secondary, but was also undoubtedly one of the reasons for Shonn Greene’s dismal performance. HC Rex Ryan has already said he wishes he would have run more, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Sanchez doesn’t approach 44 attempts again this season.

The Jets were serious about a return to their ground ‘n’ pound offense, running a two-back and two-tight end alignment until catch-up mode in the fourth quarter. Sanchez found Jeremy Kerley and Santonio Holmes for second-half scores, but the Patriots effectively killed the clock to play keep-away down the stretch. Now in a run-oriented offense, Sanchez is just a low-end QB2 heading into Week 6 against the Dolphins.

He also added a rushing touchdown on a designed five-yard quarterback sneak, but his performance in fantasy leagues was decidedly better than it was in real life. He missed on easy throws and should have been picked a couple of times, but more than anything he just has no idea where he is going with the ball when it is time to pass. Sanchez is woefully under-utilizing his best receiver, Santonio Holmes, and is nothing more than a low-end QB2 against San Diego’s tough pass defense.

Asked directly if the Jets would “kick the tires” on Manning, Tannenbaum replied, “It’s really important that we always try to improve the team. ... My philosophy is you’ve got to be aggressive, you have to know what’s going on out there, and you have to look for opportunities.” Tannenbaum still “expects” Mark Sanchez to be the QB in 2012, but the organization has clearly lost quite a bit of confidence in him as the face of the franchise.