Derek Carr is passing on a chance to join the New York Jets for an opportunity to help turn the New Orleans Saints back into a contender. So, what does Gang Green being left out in the cold mean for the New England Patriots?
If it means the Jets are stuck with a quarterback carousel of Mike White and Zach Wilson, that would be a huge win for the Patriots and the rest of the AFC East.
The Patriots defense has treated Wilson like a punching bag since he entered the NFL, and although White clearly looked like the better quarterback at times, he isn’t someone that’s going to suddenly shift the tides of change for the Jets.
But there are at least two quarterbacks that could change things: Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson.
The Jets could pump the brakes on finding a future quarterback and move on to a proven veteran. Rodgers, a former Super Bowl champion, is arguably one of the top-five best quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. His former offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, being with the Jets could be enticing enough for the future Hall of Famer to make the leap to the AFC.
And then there’s the human joystick, Jackson. No amount of Tylenol could knock out the headache of having to defend Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa and Jackson in the same division.
So Carr joining the Saints has opened the door for the possibility that the Jets get even better at the quarterback position.
Former Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is another option out there for New York, especially considering the connection he already has with Robert Saleh, who was the former defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers before taking over the head coaching job for the Jets.
That would put a quarterback under center that has spent time under the hood in New England, including matching wits with Bill Belichick-coached defenses at practice on a daily basis.
Of course, Rodgers could opt to retire, and the Ravens could either slap a franchise tag on Jackson or extend him. Meanwhile, Garoppolo might stay in San Francisco or get picked up by another team. All of that could happen, and the duo of Wilson and White could continue for the Jets.
A potential nightmare situation could be avoided entirely for the Patriots in a much-improved AFC East division.
