The New York Jets have a fantasy that Aaron Rodgers will become their next quarterback. This is the most obvious Jets storyline out there.
Nothing is impossible, but there have been zero reasons to feel this would happen, and if it happened, mortgaging the draft capital to do it could be a mistake. I’m not worried about this because I can see this just being off-season fodder.
Enter Derek Carr. He’s never won anything, and there is some thought out there that he does not come through in the clutch. Now, is it worth it to pay close to $40 million a year for a quarterback who is 0-1 lifetime in the playoffs? I don’t care about numbers. I don’t. The Jets need a terrific game manager at this point, but they need cap flexibility, and draft picks to improve their weak spots this off-season.
Please read this report. Will the Jets pay Carr like a top-10 quarterback because they are desperate? That’s never a good idea. Never. But I believe that could happen.
Jimmy G doesn’t seem like he’s on their radar. I think that’s a mistake because he has a playoff pedigree. Yes, he has some injury concerns, but when he’s out there, he gets the job done. And that’s what the Jets need. A solid game manager.
Ryan Tannehill could be the Jets fall back. I don’t like it. I think it’s settling for something slightly better than Zach Wilson who is capable of beating him for a job out of camp. It’s not impossible. Are they even working with Wilson anymore? Or he is just there to fail at this point?
I have thoughts on a game manager, but I will save that for another day. I want to see how the Jets’ front office handles this situation, and the fact that they didn’t offer Carr a contract speaks volumes. Now if he’s their second choice, and he decides to go to New Orleans or Carolina then what?
I hope the Jets don’t get the quarterback because Woody Johnson has tasked them to get one this offseason, no matter what. That puts the front office in a bad spot, and let’s face it, how often do the Jets do well under these circumstances?
The Jets are close to being a playoff team. If they get Rodgers it will kill their draft and hurt the cap. Sure, they may get a few vets cheap who want to play with him, but Rodgers in New York might be too much for him to handle. Not everyone is built to handle that market, and I think he’s one of them.
This Jets offseason will be fascinating, and it’s just getting started.