For weeks, it all pointed at the New York Jets being the frontrunners to land Derek Carr. Instead, the former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback shocked the NFL world by signing with the New Orleans Saints.
Needless to say, that was a major blow for Robert Saleh and a team desperate to move on from Zach Wilson, who might as well go down as one of the all-time greatest busts in NFL Draft history.
The Jets won't be able to have their top choice at quarterback next season, but they still need to address that issue. With that in mind, let's talk about the top three most realistic options they have right now.
NFL Rumors: Potential QB Options For The New York Jets
3. Baker Mayfield
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Baker Mayfield didn't do well in Carolina, but he looked much better with the Los Angeles Rams. Also, there's simply no way in hell that he'll do any worse than Zach Wilson; he just can't.
The Rams could look to keep Mayfield around if the reports about Matthew Stafford's health are true. If not, he would be a solid improvement for the Jets as a placeholder while they find someone better.
2. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers would be the dream scenario for Jets fans, at least from a football perspective. He's one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever do it, although he does come with some concerns about his character and temper.
More than that, the Jets are at his mercy right now. He might choose to stay with the Green Bay Packers or state that he doesn't want to play for them, and that would send them back to square zero.
1. Jimmy Garoppolo
All things considered, Jimmy Garoppolo might as well be the safest bet for the Jets. As things stand now, he'd give them some sort of stability in the short term, so they could try and see what they got with Mike White.
Garoppolo isn't a superstar by any means, nor he'll ever be one. But the Jets have a plethora of playmakers that only need someone who could actually hit targets 5+ yards down the field, and he shouldn't demand a hefty salary.