The Jets have long been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Michael Vick, but New York's interest in the veteran passer never has amounted to anything more than speculation.
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Until now.
Vick plans to meet with Gang Green on Friday, a source informed of the team's plans tells NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. The trip to Florham Park would mark the first official free-agent visit for the former Eagles passer. Rapoport reported nothing is imminent, but there is mutual interest. NJ.com first reported the meeting.
Vick insisted in January that he "absolutely" will be a starter come Week 1. That's no guarantee in New York, where the Jets have second-year signal-caller Geno Smith on the roster and still must decide what to do about pricey Mark Sanchez, who's due a $2 million roster bonus on March 25.
We fully expect Sanchez to be released, making room for a veteran to work alongside Smith -- or ahead of him. Vick would make plenty of sense as a stopgap starter for a Jets squad that just signed Eric Decker and plans to mine the draft for additional weapons on offense.
New York is bound to have competition, with NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reporting that the Buffalo Bills and the Oakland Raiders also have their sights set on Vick.
Battling for available players hasn't been a strength of general manager John Idzik, who's been critiqued for moving at "glacial speed" during free agency, an approach that led to cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie landing elsewhere.
Idzik's lack of aggressiveness hurt New York's chances to land those gems for coach Rex Ryan's defense, but adding our top free-agent quarterback would make for a juicy move in Gotham.
The "Around The League Podcast" breaks down the latest free agency moves and highlights a few under-the-radar signings.
