On the heels of a report that the New York Jets might miss out on Derek Carr by waiting for the Aaron Rodgers situation to play out, we have some more information on this front.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, the free-agent quarterback is set to visit with the Jets over the weekend. NFL insider Josina Anderson notes that said visit will come Saturday.
It’s somewhat surprising given that Jets owner Woody Johnson talked glowingly about Rodgers following the 2022 season and with the team linked to the four-time NFL MVP on a never-ending loop.
As for Carr, he was released by the Raiders last week after being benched late during the 2022 campaign. That decision came after the four-time Pro Bowler opted to exercise his no-trade clause. For Carr, this is the second visit he will take during the offseason. The veteran previously met with the New Orleans Saints.
Related: Derek Carr and the top-250 NFL free agents of 2023
Derek Carr doesn’t seem to be a great fit with the New York Jets
Last season saw Zach Wilson bomb out big time as a sophomore. The 2021 first-round pick was benched multiple times for his poor performance on the field and a lack of maturity within the locker room. It’s led to widespread reports that the Jets are turning over every stone to find a replacement for the former No. 2 overall pick.
Despite his solid track record through nine NFL seasons, we’re just not too sure Carr is a great fit for the cold-weather environment of New Jersey.
In seven career starts in below 37 degrees, Carr has posted an 0-7 record with six touchdowns against nine interceptions. That’s just terrible. In addition to playing his home games in Jersey should Carr land with the Jets, he’d also be tasked with road dates in New England and Buffalo. That doesn’t seem like a whole lot of fun for the west coast kid.
- Derek Carr stats (2014-22): 65% completion, 35,222 yards, 217 TD, 99 INT, 91.8 QB rating
As you can see, Carr’s overall statistics are pretty good. It also must be noted that he was dealt a poor hand with the long-downtrodden Raiders organization. Despite this, Carr came out of that nine-year stint looking like a true leader for the objective person.
Perhaps this is the Jets’ thought process. The idea would be to replace a young kid in Wilson who had leadership issues with a true veteran. On the field, Carr would also be a massive upgrade.
- Zach Wilson stats: 55% completion, 4,022 yards, 15 TD, 18 INT, 70.9 QB rating
As you can see, Wilson has been a downright disaster since the Jets made him the No. 2 pick back in 2021. He’s lost 14 of 22 starts and has numbers comparable to one of the NFL Draft’s biggest busts, JaMarcus Russell from all the way back in 2007.
Despite Derek Carr being seen as nothing more than a mid-tier starter in the NFL, he’d be a significant upgrade. It’s now all about whether the Jets actually believe they have a shot to trade for Rodgers and Carr’s contract demands.