The 2023 offseason hasn’t even officially started yet and the New York Jets are already getting some bad news regarding the top quarterbacks on the open market.
New York, after a difficult end to their 2022 season, made it a point to note that they were going to be looking to bring in a veteran quarterback during the offseason. The disappointment of the Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco trio couldn’t get a very talented team to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.
But Gang Green’s goal of bringing in a top quarterback may be on hold shortly.
Over the weekend of the Pro Bowl festivities, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DeVante Adams spoke candidly about bringing Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to Vegas. There have also been reports that Rodgers has said to prefer the Raiders to the Jets should the quarterback be moved this offseason.
ESPN reporter, Adam Schefter, has consistently reported that a trade between the Packers and their franchise quarterback would be “a real possibility” this offseason.
New York getting into a bidding war with Vegas will only make life more difficult for Joe Douglas. If Rodgers prefers to go to Vegas with his former top receiver, the Packers will be more inclined to do right by him and send him to where he wants to go.
Not good news for the Jets. Luckily, there is more than one top quarterback potentially jumping on the open market.
Derek Carr, the current Raiders record-holder in almost every statistical category has a $40 million contract potentially up in the air if Vegas does not cut him by the February 15th deadline. The issue for New York? Teams like the Saints and Commanders are already looking to try and add the signal-caller.
The Jets are about to enter into a bidding war that will have less to do with the assets they have and more about the factors that shouldn’t be judged by football teams. States that do not have an income tax are more likely to bring in top athletes because they simply want to keep their money.
It was a key reason the Jets lost the Tyreek Hill sweepstakes last season.
Carr and Rodgers are the two big names that have to be watched as the offseason rolls along. They aren’t the only big-name quarterbacks potentially available though.
Lamar Jackson
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported this weekend that the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson are still $100 million apart in guaranteed money on a contract extension. Baltimore is likely to use the franchise tag for their former league MVP, but it opens the door for the team to open trade discussions with teams that are interested.
Should Jackson hold out while on the franchise tag, it would muddy the waters even more to the point that the Ravens could just cut their losses entirely. Joe Douglas has experience within the Ravens organization, and it could give him a leg up in negotiations, should the Jets come calling about the scrambling quarterback.
It’s important to remember that, at this point in the offseason, rumors are simply just that. Once the Super Bowl concludes on Sunday, every team will be assessing their roster accordingly.
But where there is smoke, there is fire and the Jets potentially losing out on the two top quarterbacks available to them would be a major detriment to their hopes for 2023 and the future outlook of their franchise. A desperate organization is usually fertile ground for dysfunction and decay.
It’ll be up to Joe Douglas and New York’s front office to make sure they secure their 2023 quarterback as soon as possible.
