After fielding one of the worst passing offenses in the league this season, the New York Jets will undoubtedly be searching for a new quarterback in 2023. Given their elite defense and offensive weaponry, Gang Green should have been a playoff team this year, but their lack of QB production held them back.
Jets owner Woody Johnson acknowledged as much to reporters on Thursday and indicated he’s willing to authorize an acquisition of a high-priced veteran at the most important position in sports.
“Absolutely,” Johnson said when asked if New York could target an expensive quarterback. “We’ve got a cap, so there’s an amount you can spend. But, yeah, yeah. That’s kind of the missing piece.”
Let’s help them out and run through the available Jets QB options in 2023. Whether New York scours the free agent market or tries to work out a trade, they should be able to find an upgrade under center.
New York Jets’ Veteran QB Options in 2023
Head coach Robert Saleh recently said the Jets would go “through hell or high water” to get the most out of former second-overall pick Zach Wilson, but it’s wholly unrealistic to think New York will head into 2023 with Wilson as their starter.
Meanwhile, Mike White and Joe Flacco are both pending free agents. None of the Jets’ three 2022 starters managed a QBR above 40.0 last season.
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The Jets will likely undergo a scheme change following the departure of offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, but there is offensive talent on this roster. Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, and Breece Hall form a solid triumvirate of playmakers, and improved play at quarterback could vault New York into the next tier of offensive production.
Here are nine veteran quarterbacks who could fit with the Jets next season, beginning with one of New York’s most famous rivals.
Tom Brady
Although he’s reportedly open to continuing his career in 2023, Tom Brady won’t necessarily be back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 45-year-old has a no-franchise tag clause in his contract, so he’ll be free to choose his next destination. The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to pursue Brady as a Derek Carr replacement, while the Dolphins — who were penalized for tampering with Brady last offseason — may still be in the picture.
The future Hall of Famer will have plenty of suitors, but the idea of Brady landing with the Jets is beyond alluring. He’d get to face Bill Belichick and the Patriots twice per year, while Gang Green fans would have to get accustomed to rooting for Brady, who has a 30-8 career record against New York.
On the field, Brady took a step backward in 2022. His QBR fell from 68.1 in 2021 to 58.6, while his adjusted net yards per attempt dropped from 7.41 to 6.13. Despite that regression, Brady would still represent a massive upgrade over what the Jets received from their quarterbacks this season.
Jimmy Garoppolo
At one point, Jimmy Garoppolo looked like the perfect quarterback addition for the Jets. His previous work with LaFleur — the 49ers’ passing game coordinator from 2017-20 — could have portended instant assimilation in New York. With LaFleur out, the fit is less snug, but Garoppolo should still be a contender to head to the Jets.
Garoppolo never looks quite as productive via the eye test as he does through advanced metrics, but his quick release and ability as a play-action passer will fit into any scheme. While he’s unlikely to stay in San Francisco, given Trey Lance’s presence and Brock Purdy’s rise, Garoppolo will attract interest around the league. If the Jets can’t land Brady, Garoppolo might be the next-best/most realistic option.
Derek Carr
The Raiders benched Derek Carr with two games remaining in the regular season, and they confirmed earlier this week what we already knew: they’ll be exploring Carr’s trade market this offseason with the hopes of unloading him onto another team.
Carr’s $32.9 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed on Feb. 15, so the Jets and Raiders would need to agree to a trade — and a likely contract restructuring — before that date, even though a deal couldn’t become official until the 2023 league year begins in March.
Carr is a solidly above-average quarterback. Among 76 signal-callers with at least 500 attempts since 2014, Carr ranks 33rd in expected points added per play. He’ll probably never deliver an All-Pro season, and he might not even have another Pro Bowl campaign in him. But Carr is a high-floor passer with a decently high ceiling, which is exactly what the Jets need.
Aaron Rodgers
Acquiring Brady, Garoppolo, or Carr would be relatively straightforward moves for the Jets. A pursuit of Aaron Rodgers would be much more complicated.
For one, it’s unclear if Rodgers plans to play in 2023. Speaking to the media on Friday, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Rodgers intends to “take some time” before deciding whether to return next season.
Rodgers doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but it seems unlikely that Green Bay would deal him away unless he specifically asks to be moved. Even if the Packers play hardball and try to trade Rodgers without his consent, he could simply threaten retirement.
After spending his entire career in Green Bay, would Rodgers want to shift to a major media market like New York?
There’s also the matter of Rodgers’ contract. If Rodgers is traded before June 1, the Packers will absorb a dead-money hit of $40+ million. Green Bay and New York could theoretically wait until after June 1 to compete a Rodgers trade, but it seems unlikely either team would want unsettled business to last until the summer.
There are a lot of factors working against a Rodgers-to-NY deal, including the question of how smart it is for a team like the Jets to sacrifice what could potentially be multiple first-round picks for a 39-year-old quarterback who regressed in 2022. Still, it would be surprising if New York’s decision-makers don’t at least discuss the idea of Rodgers behind closed doors.
Lamar Jackson
Because the Ravens have yet to agree to an extension with Lamar Jackson, they’re likely to franchise tag the 26-year-old before the start of 2023 free agency. A second franchise tender in 2024 is also possible, meaning Baltimore could control Jackson for at least the next two seasons.
Still, if Jackson continues to push for a fully guaranteed contract that the Ravens aren’t comfortable with, Baltimore could look into trading him. General manager Eric DeCosta would first have to assign Jackson the franchise tag — likely the exclusive version, which projects at $45+ million — and then go about moving him.
Jackson is a dynamic threat under center, and former MVPs in their mid-20s rarely become available via trade. The Jets would certainly love to acquire a quarterback with Jackson’s track record, but there are still question marks they’d have to consider.
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The first is cost. The Ravens would likely ask for at least three first-round picks — and maybe more — in exchange for Lamar. He’d then hold so much leverage over the Jets that he’d be able to ask for nearly anything in contract negotiations. Between the draft capital and the cash outlay, New York would be looking at an unprecedented price tag.
The Jets would also need to be sure they could build an offense around Jackson’s strengths. Baltimore’s scheme is lacking in many ways, but they have constructed their offense around Jackson’s abilities as a rushing threat. If New York acquired Jackson and subsequently attempted to jam him into the scheme preferred by their next coordinator, the results could be disastrous.
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones couldn’t be hitting free agency at a better time. He’s coming off the best season of his career, one in which he ranked seventh in QBR and 11th in EPA per dropback. After spending four seasons with the New York Giants, Jones wouldn’t even have to change home stadiums to join the Jets.
Still, despite his solid 2022 campaign, Jones would likely represent an underwhelming addition for Gang Green. Jones has too much poor production on his track record, and the Jets could be worried about how he’d fare without Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka pulling the levers. His physicality as a rushing threat is appealing, but Jones still has work to do as a dropback passer.
Jared Goff
The concerns surrounding Jones are similar to potential worries about Jared Goff. Just as Jones shined in the friendly confines of a Daboll/Kafka offense, Goff posted his best seasons with Sean McVay and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, both of whom have proven to be offensive wizards.
Goff also might not be available. Some reports have indicated that the Detroit Lions view Goff as their quarterback answer for years to come. Even if that’s not the case, and the Lions use the sixth-overall pick on a signal-caller, Goff makes perfect sense as a bridge QB in the Motor City.
Additionally, New York’s offensive line isn’t as good as Detroit’s, and Goff has always struggled with pass rushers in his face. In 2021, he ranked 30th among 40 qualifying quarterbacks in passer rating when under pressure.
Ryan Tannehill
Given that he has a $36.6 million cap charge in 2023 and has regressed in each of the last two seasons, Ryan Tannehill is closer to a release candidate than a trade target. There’s almost no chance he returns to the Tennessee Titans at his current cap figure, so the Jets could conceivably wait to see if he gets cut.
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Tannehill is 34 years old, so he’d be more of a stopgap option than a long-term solution. Jets fans would likely revolt if Tannehill were the club’s only offseason quarterback addition, but New York could sign Tannehill and then draft a quarterback in the first or second round. This isn’t the big swing New York probably wants to take, but it’s a practical fallback plan.
Jacoby Brissett
If the Jets strike out on every other quarterback pursuit, they could target someone like Jacoby Brissett to serve as a temporary salve. The 30-year-old produced the best season of his career with the Browns in 2022, ranking eighth in QBR, 10th in EPA per dropback, and 13th in adjusted net yards per attempt.
Like Tannehill, though, Brissett would be a disappointing final answer for the Jets, even if he’s paired with an early-round quarterback. Brissett is better than he’s given credit for, but New York can aim higher.
