With free agency approaching, the market has started to heat up again across the NFL, especially for teams that need a quarterback for the 2026 season. The lack of a top-tier name has even led Derek Carr to consider returning to the league, and his name has been linked to the New York Jets.
The Jets’ recent quarterback experiences have been traumatic: The team failed to achieve the expected success with Aaron Rodgers and was left frustrated by Justin Fields last season. Carr would present a veteran option if the interest is real, and an insider revealed what he knows about the situation.
Derek Carr Aiming Return to the NFL, New York Jets Remain a Possibility
Carr’s return to the NFL after just one season in retirement has made the quarterback market more intriguing ahead of 2026 free agency, which includes names such as Malik Willis, Kyler Murray (expected to be released March 11), Tua Tagovailoa (expected to be released post June 1), and the recently released Geno Smith. There is a significant number of teams looking for quarterbacks, with the Jets among the most prominent.
After the frustrating experience with Fields, the Jets could look at Carr as a veteran capable of establishing a more acceptable production floor while the team searches for a long-term solution.
This does not appear to be available in the draft at the moment. Fields had arrived with the expectation of bringing dynamism to the offense, but failed to deliver even the minimum level of efficiency.
However, insider Zack Rosenblatt downplayed the idea that the Jets are committed to bringing Carr in as their primary target this offseason. He also noted that there does not appear to be much league-wide interest in the quarterback, who remains with the New Orleans Saints.
“As for Derek Carr: I don’t get the sense he’s a top target for the Jets as of now, no matter what the Zapruder film from his podcast is telling us. Things can certainly change as the market develops but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of interest in him league-wide as of yet,” Rosenblatt wrote on his X post.
As for Derek Carr: I don’t get the sense he’s a top target for the Jets as of now — no matter what the Zapruder film from his podcast is telling us.
Things can certainly change as the market develops but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of interest in him league wide as of…
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) March 6, 2026
The clip referenced by the insider comes from an episode of the Carr brothers’ podcast, “Home Grown with David and Derek Carr,” in which David Carr supposedly revealed that Derek would go to the Jets. The moment is censored, but it is still possible to hear what appears to be the name “Jets” at the end.
The Jets finished the season with rookie Brady Cook leading the offense, and it became clear that quarterback is the team’s most alarming position.
New York’s offense ranked as the fourth-worst in the NFL according to the PFSN NFL Offense Impact Ranking, receiving a grade of F, and finished 29th in points scored.
The team’s rebuild will once again involve a period of experimentation, during which Carr could serve as a bridge to reestablish a minimally competitive culture before the next quarterback takes over. But according to Rosenblatt, the interest in Carr, for now, appears to be nothing more than speculation.
