According to Jonathan Jones, the Jets will be looking closely at the possibility of acquiring one of either Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo or Raiders QB Derek Carr to fill their need at quarterback this offseason.
Jones says a source stressed the Jets aren’t limiting themselves to these three options but they’re a natural place for the search to begin. New York has been clear about its desire to add a veteran quarterback this offseason.
The Jets started “sniffing around” about Carr this week, per Jones. If the Raiders can’t trade him by the third day after the Super Bowl, they’ll release him to avoid being on the hook for $40 million in guarantees. That would likely drive down the trade cost for an acquiring team.
Garoppolo is set to be a free agent in March and Jones points out HC Robert Saleh knows him well from his time in San Francisco. However, durability is a major question mark with Garoppolo and something the Jets would have to figure out their comfort with.
Rodgers would of course be the biggest name but he would also be the most expensive, with the Jets needing to both send significant draft compensation to the Packers and pick up the rest of Rodgers’ contract in any trade. This is assuming Rodgers even becomes available, which is no sure thing.
Jones points out Rodgers has waffled on retirement for years and the Jets could be getting just one year of him. However, New York’s hire of OC Nathaniel Hackett, who’s quite close with Rodgers, has sent the speculation into overdrive.
Rodgers, 39, is a former first-round pick of the Packers back in 2005. He agreed to a four-year, $134 million extension that includes over $100 million guaranteed in 2018.
Rodgers was owed a base salary of $25 million in the final year of his deal in 2022 when he agreed to a three-year, $150 million extension this offseason with $101 million of the deal guaranteed.
In 2022, Rodgers appeared in all 17 games for the Packers and completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 3,695 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to go along with 94 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Carr, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Raiders back in 2014. He was in the final year of his contract when the Raiders signed him to a five-year, $125 million extension that included $70 million guaranteed in 2017.
Carr stood to make a base salary of $19.77 million in the final year of his contract and was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 when he signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension.
In 2022, Carr appeared in 15 games for the Raiders and completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also rushed for 102 yards.
Garoppolo, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Patriots back in 2014. The Patriots traded him to the 49ers in 2017 at the trade deadline in return for a 2018 second-round pick.
Garoppolo was in line to be an unrestricted free agent when the 49ers signed him to a five-year, $137.5 million contract during the 2018 offseason.
He was entering the final year of that deal and slated to make a base salary of $24.2 million in 2022 when he agreed to a pay cut in exchange for a no-tag clause.
In 2022, Garoppolo appeared in 11 games for the 49ers and completed 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 2,437 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s added 23 rushes for 33 yards and two touchdowns.
We’ll have more on the Jets as the news is available.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
