The quarterback history of the New York Jets is star-crossed at best and snakebitten at worst. This has been especially true over the past four decades with the team never truly having an established franchise quarterback. The list of quarterbacks who have come and gone is long and ever-growing. The Jets had the opportunity to make the jump from perpetual cellar dwellers to playoff contender in 2022. However, the quarterback position remained the squeaky wheel of the team. Owner Woody Johnson made it clear during the season-ending press conference that the Jets were going to acquire a veteran quarterback this offseason. This then begs the question: who will be the quarterback of the New York Jets in 2023?
Derek Carr
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The first quarterback who could be with the New York Jets in 2023 is Derek Carr. After guiding the Las Vegas Raiders to a Wild Card berth in 2021, Carr’s career with the Raiders ended abruptly in 2022. Following a terrible performance in Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve, he was benched by head coach Josh McDaniels. On January 12, Carr announced on social media he was leaving the Raiders.
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) January 12, 2023
At 31, Carr has plenty left in the tank. He’s durable and has a desire to win a championship. In the 15 games before being benched, he passed for over 3,500 yards. As a team, the Jets threw for just over 3,700 yards. One of the hurdles for the Jets is cost. I mentioned in a previous article that Carr comes with a high price tag if he waives his no-trade clause. General manager Joe Douglas has been smart when it comes to cap friendly deals. However, if he’s released rather than traded, the cost could be less than his original price tag.
My Completely Unscientific Odds of Carr Joining the Jets in 2023: 45%. I gave many more reasons in this article I wrote back in December. In addition to Carr-to-the-Jets speculation, there is speculation Carr would reunite with Dennis Allen in New Orleans. Allen was Carr’s first coach in 2014 in Oakland.
Aaron Rodgers
The second quarterback who could be with the New York Jets in 2023 is Aaron Rodgers. Last season, the Green Bay Packers got off to a sputtering start before a late-season rally saw them one game away from a Wild Card berth. Given the rocky relationship between him and head coach Matt LaFleur, many have speculated if we saw the last of Rodgers in a Packers uniform. Rodgers is 39 years old and has a list of accolades in his prestigious career: Super Bowl MVP, 10-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and four-time league MVP. One could argue that age is catching up to him, but Rodgers has been an elite quarterback since he became the starter in 2008.
Here’s the biggest factor for the Jets acquiring Rodgers: on January 26, the Jets hired former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett as its offensive coordinator. This was after the Jets relieved former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur of his duties following a late-season nosedive which saw the Jets score no touchdowns in the final three games. Hackett was the offensive coordinator in Green Bay in 2019 and 2020 which saw Rodgers win consecutive league MVP’s. If he utilizes the same system in New York that he did in Green Bay, there’s a chance Rodgers is a Jet in 2023.
My Completely Unscientific Odds of Rodgers Joining the Jets in 2023: 75%. Given his familiarity with Hackett, Rodgers is a strong candidate to be the Jets’ quarterback in 2023. Let’s see what Douglas is willing to mortgage in terms of cap space and draft capital.
Jimmy Garoppolo
The third quarterback who could be with the New York Jets in 2023 is Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G. has some history with head coach Robert Saleh. He was quarterback for the 2019 season when San Francisco won an NFC Championship and Saleh was the defensive coordinator. Last season, the Jets ran a very similar system to what the Niners have been playing under head coach Kyle Shanahan. The Jets have a run-heavy system with a passing attack that features eating up yards after the catch. It’s one of the primary reasons why Garrett Wilson flourished as a rookie this season. While Garoppolo has familiarity with the offense the Jets ran in 2022, it may be much different in 2023. Another hesitancy to pick up Garoppolo is his injury history; he’s only played one full season as a starter in his career. Regardless, bringing in Jimmy G. could be a stabilizing presence as Zach Wilson looks to salvage his potential.
My Completely Unscientific Odds of Garoppolo Joining the Jets in 2023: 33%. While Jimmy G. would be a cheaper option than the previously mentioned two quarterbacks, the injury history gives pause. Also, with Mike LaFleur exiting and Hackett entering, the offense might be completely different in 2023.
Lamar Jackson
The fourth quarterback who could be with the New York Jets in 2023 is Lamar Jackson. Since being drafted by Baltimore in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Jackson has been at the helm. In every season, he has led the Ravens to a playoff berth. His breakout season was in 2019 when he won league MVP while passing for 36 touchdowns and had over 4,300 yards in offense. Since then, Jackson’s progression as a passer has arguably regressed. This season, he threw for his lowest passing yard total since his rookie season in 2018. Granted, he missed the final five games of the season plus the Wild Card playoff game with a knee injury. During the offseason, neither side could come to an agreement on a contract extension. With Greg Roman no longer the offensive coordinator, it appears the Ravens may move on from Jackson as well.
My Completely Unscientific Odds of Jackson Joining the Jets in 2023: 25%. One advantage Jackson has over the previous quarterbacks mentioned is his age (26). But is it worth the Jets signing Jackson to a long and possibly expensive contract for an oft-injured quarterback who isn’t a traditional pocket passer? Signing Jackson would, though, make the Jets into a contender.
Tom Brady
That was a joke. (Maybe.)
Depending on how much of the Jets’ draft future and/or cap space Douglas is willing to give up will determine if any of these quarterbacks is a Jet in 2023. (Except Brady. Fox Sports gave him 325 million reasons to retire. A man can dream, right?)
