The Jets have been largely applauded for what most see as a successful offseason.
But CBS Sports football analyst Brady Quinn doesn't see it translating to wins.
The onetime Jets quarterback turned heads this week when he issued a bleak projection for his former team's upcoming season -- and even beyond.
According to Quinn, he's playing the under on the Jets even reaching five wins in 2022, largely owing to what he calls an "unbelievably difficult" schedule.
"I've got the Jets going under this number at five wins," Quinn said. "Their season is going to be over before they get to the bye. That's just the reality of it. Their bye comes at November 13, and they've got to play the entire AFC North to start the season. They might go 0-4, and then you've got that winnable game vs. the Dolphins. ... They're going to feel pretty desperate, pretty beat up after an 0-4 start. Then the Packers, a trip out to the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson. The Patriots, the Bills -- I mean there's a realistic scenario where they're 1-8 here, maybe 0-9."
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Quinn, who starred at Notre Dame before a journeyman career in the NFL, then conceded that the Jets' roster is in much better shape.
But he doesn't see it helping much in terms of wins and losses, and he even predicts that the Jets will turn the page on second-year quarterback Zach Wilson as soon as next offseason.
"I mean, as good as the roster has improved, I just haven't been a believer in Zach Wilson. I think this is an unbelievably difficult schedule that lightens up in the second half, but they could be decimated by that point. So, I've got them winning five games and probably going back to the drawing board at the quarterback position in the 2023 draft."
Obviously, Quinn is notably bearish on Wilson, who remains the biggest and most important question mark for the Jets heading into the season.
Last year, as a rookie, Wilson showed glimpses of the talent that made him the second overall pick, but overall he was among the least productive quarterbacks in the league.
But even if Wilson were to flop in his sophomore campaign, it seems unlikely the Jets would cut bait after just two years.
While Quinn's concerns about the schedule and Wilson are legitimate, he certainly seems to be taking the most pessimistic position possible.
That's not something Jets fans are unaccustomed to, but some users on social media didn't appreciate the buzzkill after the heady offseason, particularly the Jets' widely praised maneuverings in the draft.
Here's what some were saying in response on Twitter:
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