Before the Jets made a blockbuster deal for Aaron Rodgers, they reportedly had their eyes on another quarterback.
Negotiations during the Aaron Rodgers trade discussions stalled at one point during the offseason and New York couldn’t risk falling short of a franchise quarterback. So at one point, the Jets reportedly called the Rams to see if there was interest in making a deal for Matthew Stafford, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Two sources told Rapoport that Los Angeles was clear: Stafford wasn’t going anywhere. Several other teams in need of a quarterback also inquired about the 35-year-old but there was no deal to be made, despite his injury-shortened 2022 campaign.
Stafford only played in nine games due to a spinal cord contusion and concussion, prompting other clubs to suspect that maybe the Rams were looking to start from scratch. But Los Angeles is set to start Stafford under center this season and it worked out for the Jets, of course, as well.
Rodgers will make his regular season debut with the Jets on Monday Night Football against the Bills.
