Yes, it’s the most straightforward choice. And yes, it would likely provide the quickest resolution.
But it’s far from the best option.
As the Jets begin their quest to bring in an accomplished, veteran starting quarterback this offseason, the team met with former Raiders signal-caller Derek Carr. The 31-year-old “hit it off” with head coach Robert Saleh during a “great trip” to the team’s facilities over the weekend — in the words of a totally unbiased and unvested TV personality who is also Carr’s older brother. ESPN reported the Jets pitched Carr on becoming a “first-ballot Hall of Famer” if he were to succeed in New York.
Carr is an unrestricted free agent after the Raiders cut him before his $40 million salary for next year became guaranteed, meaning the Jets can have his services secured as soon as free agency officially begins. Because he was released, the Jets were allowed to officially meet with Carr already.
Technically (although teams often break the rule without repercussions, particularly at the NFL Draft Combine), the Jets are prohibited from speaking with other soon-to-be unrestricted free agent quarterbacks until March 13, two days before the new league year begins.
As such, if they want the most uncomplicated option, Carr is their guy. With both pedigree and easy attainability, he’s the easy choice.
But this must not be about the simplest path. If the Jets are going to take this step, it should be about the best choice. And that’s the quarterback they believe can eventually win them a Super Bowl.
The Jets’ intention to spend top dollar on a veteran quarterback signals general manager Joe Douglas and team brass believe this team is ready to contend outside of a signal-caller. After starting 7-3 last season, woeful quarterback production sunk the Jets in the second half and ended any chance to make the playoffs. After a nightmarish sophomore campaign, former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson will almost assuredly start next season as the backup.
With the fourth-best defense last year (in points allowed per game) and myriad young, promising offensive weapons, it’s hard to argue with Jets brass’ outlook of the roster.
So if their ambition is to take the next step and become a contender to make a deep playoff run, why would they go after someone who has never done that?
In his nine seasons with the Raiders, Carr did not win a single playoff game. He led the Raiders to the playoffs once, losing a wild-card game to the Bengals after the 2021 season. He completed just 53.7 percent of his passes in that game, throwing for 310 yards, a touchdown and an interception. His 69.2 passer rating that day was his second-worst mark of the season. In short, he played his worst football in the biggest moment.
Carr is a talented passer, and owns nearly all the Raiders’ franchise passing records. But he’s rarely elevated the talent around him and translated good passing numbers to winning football. He led the Raiders to a record above .500 just twice, and parted ways owning a 63-79 overall record with the team.
This past season, the club shelled out to acquire superstar wide receiver Davante Adams, who produced a whopping 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. And running back Josh Jacobs enjoyed a career year with 12 touchdowns and a league-leading 1,653 rushing yards.
But Carr led the team to a meager 6-9 record, and by the end of the season, the Raiders preferred to see whether former fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham could run the offense any better. The Raiders’ season was defined by an inability to win close games, prompted by Carr’s late-game woes — his passer rating dropped from 96.6 in first halves to 73.5 in second halves, per Pro Football Reference.
In fourth quarters, Carr owned a paltry 71.4 passer rating, way down from his overall 86.3 mark for the season. He threw five interceptions, more than in any other quarter, and his completion percentage was a measly 51.6 percent. His fourth-quarter completion percentage, passer rating and yards per attempt were his worst of any quarter last year. The same is true for his overall stats throughout his entire career.
To be blunt, Carr is not a winner.
If the Jets want to pay top dollar for a veteran, they must find a quarterback who will actually turn them into contenders.
Aaron Rodgers looms as the biggest fish, but also represents the opposite of the “what you see is what you get” Carr as an unpredictable source of bizarre off-the-field headlines
Rodgers’ future will take time to determine. He first has to decide whether he wants to continue playing or to retire — hopefully the “darkness retreat” helps with that — and the Packers have to decide their intentions with their longtime star, though they are reportedly fed up with him and ready to move on.
But if he’s available, he’s the clear-cut best option.
Rodgers has elevated the Packers into Super Bowl contenders nearly every single season of his career. Sure, at 39, Rodgers is older than Carr and perhaps has regressed after two MVP-winning seasons. But that regression is a relative term for one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Rodgers last year still threw for more yards, more touchdowns and fewer interceptions than Carr while owning a higher passer rating and completion percentage.
Though Carr shares some familiarity with the Jets’ new passing game coordinator Todd Downing, Rodgers shares even stronger familiarity with the team’s new offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, who served as his coordinator with the Packers.
Amid the growing reports the Packers are ready to turn to Jordan Love and trade Rodgers, could the Jets acquire him for a package containing only one first-round pick? If they have to give up more than one, though, the Jets are better equipped to survive that than most teams after drafting two first-rounders last year, both of whom won Rookie of the Year.
Jets owner Woody Johnson has said he’s ready to spend big to acquire a star quarterback. In that case, Rodgers is the clear choice over Carr, despite the need to trade for him. Carr represents a half-measure. Although the asset cost would be higher, Rodgers is the full measure and the far more likely option to bring the team where it wants to go.
If Rodgers isn’t available, Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be a free agent, should be the next target. He might not have passing stats as gaudy as Carr’s, but in guiding the 49ers to a Super Bowl, Garoppolo has proven to be a winning quarterback capable of leading a team to where the Jets most desire.
With the 49ers, Garoppolo leaned on a strong run game and a dominant defense, the same recipe the Jets employed during their success early in the season before Breece Hall got hurt. And if the praise his teammates often have thrown his way count for anything, it’s clear Garoppolo has established himself as a leader able to deal with media scrutiny.
Why couldn’t he do the same with the Jets?
If the Jets want to become a contender, they need to sign a quarterback who can lead a contender. That’s never been Carr.
Read more:
⚾ Aaron Boone ready for Josh Donaldson’s Yankees bounce-back
???? What’s behind Immanuel Quickley’s third-year Knicks surge
???? BRAZILLER: St. John’s must move on from Mike Anderson after another lost season
Youth will provide the biggest X-factor across MLB this season.
Despite both spending lavishly in free agency, neither the Mets or Yankees lineup made a significant change or addition from last year. On top of that, both teams seemingly have holes that went unfilled.
That’s where the kids come in. Or could come in.
Previously the No. 1 prospect in baseball and now ranked No. 3 by MLB.com, Francisco Alvarez provides the most potential to add improved punch to the Mets offense. The team has stated its intentions to develop him fully as a catcher before using him as a DH in the majors. The top two catchers on the depth chart, Tomas Nido and Omar Narvaez, are solid defensively but struggle at the plate — neither owned higher than a .600 OPS last season. The Mets will likely begin the season with a DH platoon between Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf.
Whether it’s as a catcher or just as a DH — and whether it’s to start the season or some point later — Alvarez figures to get significant at bats at some point. If he is as hyped, he would provide a major improvement.
After their Carlos Correa deal fell through, the Mets again will run out Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme at third base. But Brett Baty, the team’s second-ranked prospect, looms. He appeared in 11 games last season, and a strong spring could see him push for a starting role. Mark Vientos could earn a role as well.
Across town, the Yankees again passed on a deep shortstop free-agent market. Isiah Kiner-Falefa enters spring training as the incumbent, but Anthony Volpe, MLB’s No. 5 prospect, and Oswald Peraza will both compete for that job. As The Post’s Joel Sherman wrote, if neither of them is the Opening Day starter, it will represent a loss for the Yankees. With how heralded they’ve been and how much Kiner-Falefa struggled last year (including getting benched during the playoffs), the Yankees are banking on them providing an improvement. Left field remains a question as well, but Oswaldo Cabrera and possibly Estevan Florial will look to step into a bigger role there.
They won’t all make major contributions, but both teams will rely on at least a few of them.
Other top prospects around MLB who could change their teams’ outlook:
Miguel Rojas, Dodgers: Ranked the No. 37 prospect in baseball, the 23-year-old is expected to be the Dodgers’ everyday starting second baseman in a new-look infield following Trea Turner’s departure.
Gunnar Henderson, Orioles: The top prospect in baseball, Henderson, who can play across the infield, now enters his first full season in the majors at 21 years old after flashing his power-speed potential in 34 games last year.
Andrew Painter, Phillies: Just 19, the 6-foot-7 righty is in position to possibly claim a spot in the defending NL champs’ rotation after recording a 1.56 ERA and striking out 155 batters in 103.2 innings across three minor league levels last season.
Elly De La Cruz, Reds: A versatile 6-foot-5 infielder, the 21-year-old No. 10 prospect in baseball has a good chance to make the Reds roster after raking with a .304/.359/.586 slash line and .945 OPS across two minor league levels last year.
Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks: After a strong cameo last year, during which the 22-year-old recorded an .830 OPS in 32 major league games, the No. 2 prospect in baseball is set to begin the season as the team’s starting left fielder.
Talk about a role reversal.
The Knicks (33-27) entered the All-Star break red-hot and in the No. 6 spot in the East, perhaps elevating the expectations for the team in the second half and into the postseason, while the fifth-place Nets (34-24) did the opposite — going from preseason (and December) title contenders to a rebuilding club taking a purely long-term outlook.
It’s Year 3 of the Knicks’ Leon Rose-Tom Thibodeau tandem, which got the team to the playoffs in Year 1 before taking a step backward last season. Do the Knicks have to win a playoff series this time around to mark an improvement? Or is just returning to the playoffs acceptable? The Knicks’ first-half performance seemingly has raised the bar for what will mark a successful season and provide unquestioned job security for their brass.
Before the Nets traded Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in a jarring end to the franchise’s superstar era, a championship was the only acceptable outcome for coach Jacque Vaughn and general manager Sean Marks. Though Marks’ future still hangs in the balance, Vaughn now enjoys job security regardless of how the second half unfolds after signing a multi-year contract extension on Tuesday.